


Equinox

by ViperOfGrand



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Drama, Gen, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-01-14 03:26:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 73,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1251025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViperOfGrand/pseuds/ViperOfGrand
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leona and Diana. How they first met, their conflict, their realizations of that fated day and their inevitable confrontation. Will the cycle of despair continue or will it finally be broken?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Sun Crowns the Moon

She counted the strands of her hair as each one slid off her fingers. Every thread of platinum blonde shimmered from the rays of sunshine beaming in through her window. It was strange to many, but to her, she always thought her hair was reminiscent of flowing moonlight. The young teenage girl blinked, her bright grey irises shifting from the glare of the sun. She shielded her eyes and winced. She always thought it strange that the sun, the burning orb in the sky, the thing that they of the Solari worshipped, would harm those who dared look at it. She drummed her pen on the desk in front of her. The sun shone brilliantly through the window and through a telescope situated in front of the window.

She had discovered that at certain hours, when the sun was positioned towards her window, she was able to channel the light through a lens and onto a white piece of paper. There, she could observe how the sun moved, the shape, and its brilliance. Yet, she felt that despite its grandeur that it was still inferior. It was too bright, too burning, and too gaudy. It did not let those it deemed inferior to look at it. She was thankful of that chance event for happening.

* * *

It was only two years ago when she had experienced the event that changed her life and her thinking. The Solari were cast into dismay and hid inside their homes and temples when this event occurred. She could not help but try to look, but quickly discovered it made her cringe in pain. Through chance, the telescope she had borrowed from one of the Solari elders, the same one she placed on the ground in a hurry, was positioned at the sun. Behind it, a marble white wall stood. She flinched and instinctively looked away, only to see its image projected onto the wall.

She stared at it in awe and amazement. It was the first time she had ever seen a total solar eclipse. The girl was mesmerized, the dark sphere slowly passing in front of it. Out of habit, she had taken out a notepad and started to furiously sketch picture after picture of the events happening. Detailing each phase that it had gone through, it was when the moon completely eclipsed the sun that she wept.

She could see some sort of strange energy encircle it. Darkness overwhelmed the Solari lands. She turned around, and looked up, and for once she could stare at the sun. She was moved to tears for the first time in her life. She was staring at the sun, at the being the Solari worshipped, and it was being blocked by a black circle. There was no way to describe the darkness this shape was made of except that it was pure and utter black. And with that, a crown of fire wreathed around it. She knew the shape, she had seen it every night of her life. The young girl could even feel the familiar, comforting chill, the same one she felt every night of every day: It was the moon.

The moon was being crowned by the sun itself, the fire wreathing the entirety of the sphere in a perfect circlet of golden-white flames. She stared at the total eclipse in complete awe and amazement. All her life, she had wanted to stare at the sun, to bask in its glory, but it refused to let her. It refused to let anyone. And then, the moon granted her this simple wish. After a minute of staring, she broke out of her trance and started to frantically draw what she saw. The sun, crowning the moon. What a glorious sight. She ripped out the paper and tucked it into her pocket, the girl felt a growing pride swell within from her discovery. She was sure the others would agree with her interpretation of what she had just witnessed.

She packed her belongings and rushed towards the nearest building she knew: The Solari temple. The girl burst in through the doors and excitedly called out to them, to come outside, to see the wonderful sight. The Solari Elders moved forward and hissed at her to quiet. She was confused. She pointed and asked them, "Don't you see that?"

"Of course we do. That is an abomination. That is the moon ridiculing the sun, taking away its time in the sky! Get in here, child! Do not bask in its corruption!"

"What? No, no. Don't you see? The sun is crowning the moon!"

For that, she was beaten. She still remembers the bruises, the lashes she received for saying such heresy. They even destroyed her notebook with all of her sketches. She was thankful she had hidden that one drawing. They were lenient on her, for being a child and therefore foolish. Still, she did not understand why she was beaten. She had clearly seen it. They all saw it. The more she thought, the more she realized how much more comfortable at night she was. After all, that is why she asked to borrow the telescope in the first place. She wanted to view the stars at night, to observe the celestial bodies that danced above them each and every inky night. So many lights, so many things shining down upon them, and you could look at all of them without fear.

Why were they so frightened, so judgmental of something that let you look at it? Why praise that which hurts and burns you, while the other lets you bask in its glory but is not so presumptuous as to not let you look upon its splendor? No one would tell her. They refused to tell her. And so, she took it upon herself to discover the truth. Was that not the point of the Sun? To illuminate the truth? She would not be faulted for doing such a thing, right?

* * *

Yet she was. They judged her, they insulted her, they punished her constantly. Which is why when she heard the lock on her door click and unlatch she nearly leaped out her window. She looked at all of the notes she had scattered, all of the sketches, the telescope and everything. She did not notice the ink from the pen spilling onto her right hand. She screamed, "Indecent! One minute!" She shoved the notes into the desk drawers and grabbed the telescope, hiding it under her bed. She had never returned it, and feigned ignorance despite the Elders demanding for it to be returned.

"Hurry up!"

"…Come in!"

The door knob turned and the door swung open. A tall, older man stood, glaring at her, "Even you deserve to come out of your room for this occasion."

"What occasion?"

"The Avatar of the Sun herself has arrived."

The girl blinked. The avatar? That's impossible. There hadn't been an avatar in centuries. The elderly man roughly grabbed her shoulder and dragged her, "Come. Even you will greet her."

An hour later, they were outside. The entire cast of the Solari Elders, including the man who had dragged her here, stood at the top of the staircase. The girl shielded her face once more. She swore the sun was burning brighter than usual. It was then she realized it was not the sun that was burning so brightly. Ascending the stairs, two older men walked side by side with a girl, whose long bright fiery hair reflected each ray that shone upon it, in between them. She stepped with determination, no sign of fear, no sign of nervousness or anxiety. Just pure determination. Instantly she felt herself shake, she looked away from the brightness that shone from her. She looked around, and saw that almost every Solari was here, watching this fiery haired girl ascend the stairs. Except, they were not watching. They were covering their eyes from the brightness themselves.

The men bowed towards the Elder who had dragged the platinum blonde youth here. He pointed at the brightly lit girl, "What is your name, Avatar?"

"I am Leona." Her voice, firm yet soft, commanding yet comforting. What a strange dichotomy. She looked around, her hazel eyes scanning everything before her. "This is where I am to stay?" The Elder nodded. The platinum blonde youth tried shirking away. One of the men with Leona flatly stated, "I see you could get your daughter out."

"Yes. Not even she will miss the ascension of the Sun."

Leona looked at the grey eyes squinting at her from behind the Elder. He looked down and barked, "Introduce yourself."

The girl shook her head, covering her face with her right hand. The man snorted, "State your name." Once more, silence. The man raised his hand up and slapped her upside the head. He looked over at Leona, "She is rude. Her name is-"

"No."

Everyone blinked. Leona stared at the man, "She will tell me her name on her own."

The Elder raised an eyebrow, "You dare-"

"I do. You will not force her, nor harm her, in my presence ever again."

The Elders looked at one another and murmured. The girl's father spoke up once more, "You think you can come here and make demands, Avatar?"

"My name is Leona. And it is you who wanted me here. If you want, we can return to the Rakkor and we can go right back to my execution."

At first, she wanted to laugh at the idiocy of such a statement. It surely must have been a poor joke, from the tone and the casualness Leona spoke with. Yet, she would not say it unless it had truth to it, right? She is supposed to be the Sun, the source of truth. With this realization, the girl's jaw nearly dropped. No one spoke to an Elder, never mind her father, in such a manner. And they were going to execute the Sun? What nonsense is this? The Elder stroked his chin, "I see…you are truly a benevolent girl, Leona. You would cast your brilliance even upon my daughter. Very well, we shall respect your wish."

It was then Leona locked eyes with the girl. She did not see determination, or ferocity, or courage or anything of the sort. She saw warmth, so much warmth in those hazel eyes. She shied away, and was taken back inside once more.

* * *

Night came. The girl opened her window and positioned her telescope. No one was awake during these hours of the night. They were all asleep by now. The moonlight flooded her room, illuminating her and all of her notes. A faint candlelight flickered from her desk. She adjusted the telescope slightly to the left, and counted the stars that made up that constellation. She did not notice her door knob turn, and the door swung open. She was so caught up in her stargazing that she did not hear the footsteps that walked into her room, and then sat on her bed. She did blink upon noticing that the room seemed to become brighter. The light from the candle must be stronger than she originally thought.

For a full hour she continued looking at the sky, and continued sketching and recording her findings. She rubbed her eyes out of fatigue, she had stayed up much too late. She murmured to herself and starting shifting the papers. She looked up at her desk and saw the candle had gone out. Strange, if it had gone out, then the room should not be nearly as bright as…it…is…

She gasped, spinning around and knocked her telescope over. A hand quickly surged forward and caught it before it hit the ground. That hand belonged to Leona, the Avatar of the Sun. The girl looked around, her eyes wide with fear. She felt her pen in her grip. She was caught. She was caught by the worst person possible, with all of her heresy. The avatar would tell the Elders, and then everything would be lost again. She had to do something, something had to be done. The avatar could not talk or else everything would be ruined.

The pen in her hand felt mightier than any blade, if she stabbed the avatar's jugular than she would be safe. She wouldn't be punished. The sun crowned the moon, it could be beaten. The sun could be subjected. It was not impossible, she could do it. Just one stab, that was all that would be needed.

Leona spoke, "You did all of this yourself, didn't you?"

The girl nodded, inching closer to Leona. Just a few more feet and she would be in killing distance.

Leona questioned, "Why are you still awake?"

No response. She inched closer.

Leona placed the telescope gently onto the ground and ran her fingers along one of the notes, "…What are these? Numbers? And these are…stars?" She pointed at one of them, "Which one is this one? I haven't seen this one before."

The girl froze. The avatar was asking her questions. Should she respond?

Leona looked over at her and smiled, "I'm not your enemy."

Those same, warm eyes pierced her. The girl started to shake once more. She managed to squeak out, "N…No…you're…you're lying. You just…you're going to tell them…"

"Tell them what?"

"Tell them about this…about all of this. I'm not wicked, I'm not! The moon, it calls…it calls to me! You…you hate the moon…you hate me."

Leona snorted and lightly chuckled, "Why would I hate the moon, or you?"

"Because you're the sun-!" She nearly screamed. She clamped her hand over her mouth and quivered, "…Because you're the sun."

Leona looked out the window, then back to her, confusion on her face, "…So?"

Was she serious? "You don't know about the Solari?"

"Somewhat," Leona shrugged. "Rakkor do not pay much attention to such things. They leave that to the acolytes of the Solari while we fight and we war in their name. That is how it's always been."

"You're…you're Rakkor? Then how are you-"

"The Sun came down, and smote those who were going to kill me."

The girl blinked. "…Why…Why would they want to kill the avatar? That's…that's really stupid."

Leona smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "Because I went against the Rite of Kor. I refused to kill my friend just because I was asked to."

The Rite of Kor. She knew about it. No one ever questioned, no one ever asked. They simply went along because tradition is tradition for a reason: It works. The avatar, no, this girl before her went against tradition. She went against it. The girl loosened her grip on her pen, could she relax? Leona smiled at her, "I'm lucky some of the others knew where to find you. Even luckier that the door was unlocked."

The door was locked. She knew that. She heard the locks click into place. Her father would not let up on her so easily while she was grounded. "Why…Why did you come?"

"Because I wanted to talk to you." Leona leaned in towards her and whispered, "Because I saw that you're scared, like me."

"You? Scared? No. Of what?"

"Of…This." Leona pointed outside the door, "Of everything out there. It's all so new. I'm told that I'm the Avatar of the Sun and I must come to the Solari town and to its temple. All of my friends, my family, they watched me leave. They were waiting for me to die, my parents looked at me with disgust. And now, I'm here. I'm…I'm scared."

The red haired girl slightly shook, "I'm actually scared. I still haven't gotten over the fact that I was supposed to die. The Rakkor do not fear death, but my own people, those who trained me, who I grew up with…they wanted to kill me. The others? They looked on, and they watched. They were going to let me. And I accepted it. And now, I'm here. I…"

Leona looked down and shuddered ever so slightly. She was different. She understood. Silence grew between them for next minute. The girl shuffled over and looked at the constellation the avatar was looking at. "The numbers… Those ones are degrees, those ones are minutes, those ones are seconds. If you adjust the telescope, you can see the group of stars there."

Leona looked at her, her face clearly depicting her confusion, "…Why would you need to know the time?"

The girl blinked, then burst out laughing. She held her hand up to her mouth to try and stifle her laughter. The avatar was legitimately confused. She smiled and shook her head, "No, no, those are the more precise degrees needed. You have three hundred and sixty degrees, sixty minutes and sixty seconds. These help give a more precise reading when looking at the sky."

"Could you use these in the day as well?"

"Mhm. Sailors use them to navigate the sea. They use the sun during the day, and the stars and the moon at night."

"So no matter what, no matter what time of day or night, you could never get lost?"

The girl smiled and nodded, "Yes, no matter the time." She looked at the telescope quietly. She flicked her glance at Leona, "Do you want to see how it works?"

Leona shuffled off the bed and made her way towards the girl, nodding.

The girl reached down and repositioned the telescope, pointing it out of the window. Adjusting the dials, she decided to ask, "How did you know I was going to be awake?"

Leona was quiet. She looked confused once more, "I…I'm not sure. I just had this feeling you would be."

She grabbed Leona's shoulder and pulled her towards the eye of the scope, "That's the constellation of a Rakkor warrior king, the one who he and only three hundred other Rakkor held off an entire invading army of Noxus."

"Yes, I remember him." Leona looked into the telescope and smiled broadly, "I never knew there were stars named after him though. Those are so beautiful…" The avatar exchanged looking through telescope and out the window in the span of seconds. Her smile still evident, she looked at the moon, "I never really looked at the night sky. It's a pity, how so many beautiful things can only be seen in the night."

The girl smiled back at her, and nodded. She leaned over, resting herself on Leona's shoulder. She pointed at another section in the night sky, "Want to look over there? It has the brightest star in it."

"Does it have a name too?"

"Mhm! It's the lone star, the one closest to the moon."

"The lone star? What do you mean?"

"It's the lone star. The star that shines with none others, the one that is by itself. It is called the hunter. I…I was named after her, because of her courage and her steadfastness." The girl looked away, her lower lip trembling.

Leona reached over and encapsulated her arm around the girl's shoulders, "…What is your name?"

"Her name? Her name is-"

"No. _Your_ name."

"…My name? My name is Diana."


	2. Field Full of Briars

The scene melted and faded away. Where the young Diana stood a woman emerged. Her long, platinum hair was reminiscent of a pale river shimmering from moonlight coursing down her back. Her gray eyes, unblinking at the scene that had just happened, lazily looked about her. Her forehead glowed with the symbol of a crescent moon and a small circle resting above it. Her entire being was encased in armor that perfectly reflected the night sky, from its pitch black fabric to its dull twinkling metal plates. In her right hand, a large, wickedly curved blade was firmly gripped, the tip of the blade hooking inwards. The woman's cold voice commanded, "Summoners, do not think of me a fool. Let her show herself."

The darkness around her shuddered, then lit up in a burst of light. Armor loudly clanked. A fiery haired woman stood across from her, her warm hazel eyes narrowed. Her armor was highly polished and shone as if it were the sun itself. The golden armor brightly shined while the purple fabric sparkled from the natural light exuded from her being. She bore no weaponry on her this time, for she had not come here with that purpose. She firmly spoke, "Diana."

"Leona," the woman responded. Her voice was cold, almost monotonous. "It has been a while. You look well."

Leona pointed at where the scene was, "You remember that."

"Of course I do. We could run through the other memories if you so wish. I am not forgetful."

"If you remember that, then how could you do it? Why?"

Diana raised an eyebrow, "Why did I do…" She mouthed her understanding, "Ah. That. What does one have to do with the other? It does not matter. I am curious though, why do you think I did it? What did they tell you?"

Leona glared at Diana, "They told me that you had gone insane, just as the elders always feared, and you snapped. You killed them and destroyed the temple using heretical magic."

"And do you believe that?"

Diana stared at Leona with her cold eyes, waiting for a response. After a few moments, she decided to reply for the Solari Avatar, "You do not, otherwise you would have a weapon in hand and be readied to strike me down and some other nonsense."

"The corpses were still there when I returned. The temple was still in ruins. Something had happened. That there is evidence enough of what you did."

"Then why are you here? Are you here to judge me like these pitiful Summoners?"

"I want to know the truth!" Leona tapped her chest, "I want to know what happened! Diana, you would never do that! I know you! So what happened? Tell me, please! I need to know why you did this!"

Diana rolled her eyes, "Why should I tell you, when I can show you?" She tilted her head back, "Summoners? Continue with the show."

* * *

The scene changed again. Leona was in clear view as Diana donned in her current armament walked out of a temple. The Avatar of the Sun looked around, she did not recognize this valley, or this temple. How odd. It looked so sequestered-

The scene fast forwarded to Diana climbing the stairs to the Solari temple. It was dusk by now, and the evening prayers were almost done. She was smiling, gripping the weapon tightly to her chest as if it were her dearest child. Anyone who saw her instantly drew back, mortified of this shining woman ascending those stairs. She had never been happier in her life than she was now.

The prayers had just finished, the elder Solari councilmembers were stepping out of the temple when Diana stood in front of them. She waved the blade at them, "I was right!" The entire cast stared at her, eyes wide with shock, their mouths open. Diana looked between them, speaking far more excitedly than her present demeanor would ever fathom, "Elders! I have found proof that the Lunari existed!"

The elders looked at one another, murmuring in stark confusion. They looked back at her, and her father stepped forward. He looked up at his taller daughter and gave her a faint smile, "So you have, Diana. Come with us." He motioned to her to follow. Diana walked in after them, smiling all the while.

Leona pressed her hand against her mouth, walking instep behind them, "No, no…Don't tell me…Diana, please, this is the test, right? This is what the Summoners are doing, this isn't-"

"Sh," Diana looked back at Leona, her face reverted to its cold stoicism for a split second, "Do not speak. Watch. And listen."

Diana was led deeper into the temple, chatting all the while, "I went over the notes, I went over the Solari records! I spent years, remember? Years! Longitude, latitude, charting the stars, trying to decode the secrets, you thought I was crazy, ha ha! Even Leona started to doubt me! I don't blame you, I really don't! I was losing hope, but I did it!"

"We remember, Diana," one of the elders spoke.

She looked from one elder to the other, finally asking the most obvious question, "Where are we going?"

"To discuss the truth, just as you've always wanted, Diana."

Diana smiled at them. She hefted the blade up and down and tapped it on her shoulder somewhat excitedly. Eventually they reached the furthest altar at the back of the temple. The full moon clearly shown down on them now from the temple's rooftop opening. On Mount Targon, night fell very fast. Diana looked around, "Why are we talking here? Why not call the other Solari here? It is a joyous occasion."

"Because they do not need to be involved in this conversation. Diana, will you let us see the weapon? It is a curious blade."

She nodded and handed her weapon over. Her father grasped it, looked at it and muttered, "It is incredibly light. Almost as if it were light itself."

Diana nodded once more, "The murals show that to be the Lunari Avatar's weapon of choice. This is her armor. The Avatar of the Moon, of the Lunari, she existed. Isn't it wonderful?"

"Why do you wear it?"

"Hm? Oh!" She brushed her hair back, the symbol on her forehead curiously missing. "It was hard to carry it all, so I thought perhaps I should wear it back. Less cumbersome."

"And yet it fits you perfectly."

Diana blinked. She actually hadn't thought of that. It hadn't crossed her mind. An elder moved over to each side of her, and slapped a pair of iron chains on her wrists. She was too dumbfounded to react as they slapped another pair of iron cuffs on her ankles. Suddenly the chains on her wrist were yanked upwards, nearly suspending her midair. Diana blinked, and looked at the elders, "What's…what's going on?"

"You have discovered the Lunari cult. Despite your curiosity, it is strange you have never wondered why we denied their existence. We had hoped it would dissuade you."

She tried speaking but no words came out. The oldest of the elders stepped forward, waving the rest of them off, "Prepare the necessities. I will try one last time to reason with her." The others walked away, resting her weapon on a nearby pillar.

The old man looked Diana in her eyes, "Do you know what happened to the Lunari?"

"They…they were killed. Wiped out by something. Some sort of event. The murals show…" Her eyes widened, "The murals. So it is true. You did it. The Solari did."

The old man nodded, "The Solari and the Lunari were once united. They coexisted for many years in peace. The balance of power started to shift, and the realization came that the Lunari are not needed in this world. Only the dominance of the sun, only the warmth and life giving light that the sun bears is needed. And so, the Lunari were extinguished, as in accordance to the decrees of the prior Avatar of the Sun."

Diana shifted the chains ever so slightly, "That…no. That doesn't make sense. It's just, it was another part of the religion! How does that warrant-"

"The moon is servant to the sun. The servant cannot become the master, not now or ever, and so something had to be done. The Solari Avatar decreed that the Lunari must be stamped out and extinguished, their temples destroyed, and their followers killed. Heretics are not allowed to live, Diana. We have only done what is in accordance to the Solari, and we have followed our duties to the letter. We have no idea how that temple was missed, but it matters not anymore. With your help, we can find it and destroy completely wipe out the Lunari."

"Wh-what?" Diana cocked her head, "Why would I…"

"Because if you do not tell us, you will be branded a heretic. You will be branded a heretic, and killed. You will drift away into obscurity. This is your last chance, give up your heresy, claim your error in judgement, lead us to the temple, and let the Solari reign unabated."

"No!" Diana shouted at the old man, the chains groaning from the force being exerted on them. "You know nothing! You are nothing! Leona! Where is Leona?! She won't let this happen! She will not!"

Leona started to choke on emotion. She stood across from where Diana was chained, a few steps behind the elder speaking to the imprisoned woman, able to hear every word in their exchange as the memory flowed.

Diana hysterically screamed, "Get Leona! Bring her here!"

"We are the Acolytes of the Sun, Diana. We act in her name and on her behalf, just as always. This is her will."

Leona blinked. She rushed forward to the old man, hands outstretched in raw anger. Diana looked up and shot a cold glare at the approaching Avatar, "No. Don't you dare intervene. If you hold a single ounce of respect for me, do not intervene. It is too late now."

Leona fell to her knees, staring at the scene unfolding before her. Diana choked back the tears, "N-no…Leona, Leona believed me. She believed me."

"She is a kind one, Diana. She humored you. We used to discuss it with her, and we explained to her why such a cult never existed. She is the Avatar of the Sun. It is her destiny as is for all Solari to stamp out the Lunari should they ever rear their heads. The warmth of the sun is all that is needed for our lives. Diana, will you refute the existence of the Lunari once and for all? If you do so, then you will be finally accepted into Solari society. Think of it, you will get what you have always wanted."

"…How dare you?" Diana glared at the men, her tone hardening, "How dare you? The sun is supposed to be the light of the way, the revealer of truths! Yet you dare ask me to do such an abhorrent action?! Tell me one thing, will Leona know of what will happen here?"

"Of course she-"

"WILL. SHE. KNOW?!"

"…She will know what she needs to. Nothing more."

Diana bowed her head. The elder asked once more, "Do you not understand the graveness of this issue?"

"I do."

"Then what is your answer?"

Diana glared at him, scowled, and bowed her head once more. The elder sighed and walked away. Diana hung up there for an hour before the rest of the council returned. Her weapon was rested against a pillar a dozen meters away from her. The elders stood in front of her, and called out to her, "One last time, Diana, tell us where the temple is and renounce your faith."

"No."

The elders sighed and looked at one another, "We will search her room afterwards. Perhaps she left behind a few notes." They looked at Diana, her father stepped forward, "Diana, you are deemed a heretic of the faith. You will be killed in accordance to the will of the Sun."

Another elder spoke up, "None will remember you. Your name, your face, will be swept away in the sands of time. You will have no family, no friends, no one will acknowledge you even existed. That is the fate of a heretic. Only the Sun will remain."

Diana remained silent. Her arms swung back and forth ever so slightly. Her father stepped forward, brandishing a knife, "From this moment forth, you are not my daughter. You are nothing but a heretic."

She blinked. She raised her head up, staring at her father with apathetic eyes. He got closer to her, readying the knife. She whispered aloud, "If I am not your daughter… if I cannot be a mother, nor sister or wife…"

She closed her eyes, the moonlight bathing her. Her forehead started to shine. The chains around her wrists snapped. The knife did not pierce her flesh. A strange force seemed to prevent the blade from touching her. He had only a moment to let out a gasp of surprise when he suddenly exploded in a mess of gore. Her arms dropped down to her side. The elders looked on in horror as Diana readied herself to step over the bloodied puddle. Her eyes flicked opened, revealing new found determination in them, and she walked forward. The chains snapped far too easily off the woman who was now bathed in moonlight. "Then I will be a scythe…"

She raised her hand towards her weapon at the same time the elders unsheathed their own weapons. A gravitational force pulled several of these men towards Diana, while her crescent blade flew to her grasp. With one fluid movement, she decapitated all the elders that were pulled to her, "In a field full of briars."

Diana walked down the stairs towards the rest. They attempted to flee, to gain some ground, but a simple flick of her blade shot out a huge arc of lunar energy. The light smashed into the archway of the temple's only exit, an entire section of the roof and several pillars thundered to the floor. Only a select few managed to make it to the other side.

Leona watched Diana slaughter the ones she had caught. They did not stand a chance.

The rubble exploded in a burst of lunar energy, giving Diana passage. They had almost escaped, they had almost managed to make it out of the temple when she jumped through the air. For a brief moment, she transformed into a beam of moonlight. Easily catching up to the two, she reached out and grabbed one of the two remaining elders. The sickening sound of his skull smashing into the marble floor echoed in the now empty temple.

Diana looked over at the other man, the oldest of the elders. She stabbed his neck with the hilt of the blade, which had the image of the crescent moon sculpted onto it. She tore the pommel out, kicked his body back into the building, and descended the steps. Within moments, from the structural damage it had suffered, the temple of the Solari collapsed upon itself. Diana descended the stairs, the crimson rolling off her armor and her weapon as if the moonlight was cleansing her body for her. The memory ended there.

* * *

Diana looked behind her at the kneeling Leona. She walked over to her and pressed the tip of her blade under Leona's chin, "Get up."

Leona looked at Diana, "I…I didn't know Diana. I didn't know. But, all this death, all this destruction. You didn't have to-"

"Have to what? Kill them?" Diana scoffed, "What other choice did I have? They called me a heretic. Now they are dead."

"You didn't have to kill them! You didn't have to do that to yourself!"

"Really, Leona? You were saved by the Sun's direct intervention and the Solari. Do you think if they had not come, you would have lived when your aggressors got up? I pleaded for the moon's help, I prayed to the moon for its aid. It freed me of my chains. It gave me the only chance I would get. I did what was needed. The old must be cut for the new to flourish."

Leona got to her feet, yelling at her, "You killed all of them! You didn't let any live! Not even the ones who wanted to run! How could you?! You killed your own family!"

"And why not? They were hiding the truth, using you for their own needs. They were responsible for the hiding of the Lunari. They were stuck in the corrupt old ways, they had to be extinguished. And my own family tried gutting me. How atrocious is that? Do you not see? I have done what is necessary; I sifted them, the righteous from the wicked. I wonder if you know why I asked for the moon's help, Leona. Why did I pray and plead to it?"

"You were always comfortable with the moon. You may have thought that in your last moments, you could have a little respite. I don't blame you for that. Instead it granted you its power to escape, and you misused it."

"…Knock knock."

Leona blinked, "Excuse me?"

Diana motioned to Leona, "Knock, knock. Ask who's there. Let's try again. Knock knock."

"…Who's there?"

"The moon." Before Leona could ask the next question, Diana interrupted her, "It's far away! You were alone the whole time!" The stoic lady of the moon burst out into a fit of disturbing laughter.

Leona visibly tensed, "Diana…I wasn't…I didn't…"

"Not accustomed to my humor anymore, are you? It has been a very long time. You weren't there, Leona. I do not blame you, just as you should not blame me for what I did. I did what I thought and think was necessary, and if that is not enough I am still blessed by the moon," Diana sharply replied. "You were busy doing whatever a good lapdog does. I admit, at first I hated you. I wanted to kill you out of pure spite, for not being there, for allegedly condemning me to my death. For being as ignorant and stupid as the so called true believers. Then, in my travels, I saw a League match. With you in it."

Diana's lips convulsed upwards into a faint smile, "Imagine my surprise when I saw you use an eclipse to better shield yourself. To do what you always do best in your caring nature. You remember me. You remember our talks, as sporadic as they were. That was when I realized, I do not hate you." Her face reverted back to its stoic form, "You are still human, Leona. You make mistakes. You were ignorant. That is why I tell you that what I did was necessary."

"It was not necessary! You did not have to become this thing, you did not have to kill them."

"What would you have done? I was not aware I was blessed by the moon, I was not aware of my capabilities, I was about to be executed by my own people. Sound familiar? Can you truly fault me in that regard?"

Leona fell silent, clenching her fists. She eventually asked, "If you had another choice, would you have taken it?"

"No, looking back on it, I wouldn't. Because if I had let them live, they would have filled your mind with their poisonous lies and this conversation would be very different. The cycle of lies and deception would have babbled on."

"Do you not feel remorse?!" Leona spat.

Diana shrugged her shoulders, "Would they have felt remorse for killing me? No. They would not have. I feel nothing for them." She crossed her arms, "You may have accepted death at your execution, but I did not. I have a reason to live. My voice will not be silenced just because the truth is hard to hear. And if there are those who wish to quell my voice, I will end them."

A loud voice suddenly boomed, "Why have you joined the League, Diana?"

Diana looked up and around, "I believe I made it quite clear, but if you so need me to explain: I have joined the League because my voice will not be silenced, the truth will be known, and I will cut down any who stand in my way."

She looked over at Leona with her cold grey eyes as she continued her justification, "I also came here to show Leona the truth. I am pleased to see her now and not some illusion, so I can let her know that when I kill her, it is not out of hatred or out of spite. The Solari have lost their way, they call the true faith heretical. They do not wish for the Lunari to ever return. The Lunari are needed for the sake of balance, and I will kill the Avatar of the Sun a thousand times over to show the strength of the Moon, to show that the Solari are not the dominant ones and that we are necessary. They only have the illusion of power. The sun only blisters the eyes and its radiant rays only blind those who dare look upon it. I lost any desire for acceptance the moment I was condemned for being right. I will show everyone through the League the truth. My voice will not be quelled, not ever again."

Diana walked towards a slowly emerging door, one she knew that would lead into the League. Leona called out to her one last time, "Diana, you didn't have to kill them! You don't have to fight me! We do not have to fight!"

Diana stopped in mid stride. She shot a cold glare at Leona, "You think of me as a monster, for having killed them, yes?"

Leona did not respond, she simply replied with her own glare at Diana.

"Then we are at an impasse, so long as you think I am wrong," the lady of the moon waved the Avatar of the Sun off. "I ask you once more, do answer it this time: What would you have done if you were in my position, word for word?"

"I…I would have defended myself!" Leona yelled. She breathed in and out heavily, "I would have! But you didn't have to kill them! You didn't have to destroy the temple! You didn't have to go to such extremes! You didn't have to do that to yourself! Is this what you want, Diana? Destruction?!"

"I did not kill them out of hatred, or spite. When we fight on the fields, it is not out of hatred or spite that I will kill you. I do not hold those against you. I do not fault you, Leona, for finding such actions atrocious. You, the most kind person I have ever known, you, the one who once accepted me…I cannot fault you for that." Diana looked away from her, "That does not mean I forgive you. No apologies are needed. I want you to think, and realize what needs to be done, because I want you to join me, Leona."

"Join you? For what?"

"In spreading the truth. For the Solari to accept the truth, for balance to be restored. For the Lunari to be accepted once more."

Leona glared at Diana, "And what if they don't readily accept? What if they are unsure of the Lunari and its importance from all the years of silence? Despite my word, despite my position, not everyone will accept the Lunari cult back into the fold so readily. If the Lunari are considered heretics, it will anger a lot of people, you cannot force such a drastic change on people so easily. What will you do then?"

Diana swiveled her crescent shaped weapon about, "Then I will be a scythe in a field full of briars."

"You cannot be serious. That is an atrocious method, Diana. You…you can't be serious. You-"

"Summoner?" Diana reached the door, her hand stretched out to touch it. A loud voice boomed,

"Yes?"

"Will I be in my first League match today?"

"If you so wish it."

Diana turned around and pointed directly at Leona, "I do. My one request is for you to make sure I am facing her."

Leona blinked, "Diana…This is-"

Diana raised a finger to her lips, "Sh." The Avatar of the Sun glared at her while the lady of the moon continued, "It is only because it is you, that I am giving you this choice, Leona. Do not answer now, or next week, or next month. I want you to think about it, I want you to truly think about it, and if you still feel the same way, then I will kill you like the rest of them. Do not hate me, and I will not hate you for what I must do. I know you won't, it is not in your nature."

A loud voice boomed once more, "How does it feel, exposing your mind?"

"No different. My path still lays before me now as it had when I became realized. Everyone will come to know the truth, or die ignorant. They will all know the truth. I will be sure of it."

With that, the lady of the moon pushed the door open and strode into the League.

* * *

Blood dripped from her arms. In one hand, shouldering a golden object far too large to be considered a shield, Leona's other hand gripped her sun kissed blade tighter. It was a League match, she was severely wounded, but her companion had managed to get away. She looked at the monolithic stone structure next to her. It pulsated with arcane energy, it was a magical tower meant to attack any of her aggressors. The Avatar of the Sun cricked her neck and started to feel a magical aura surround her. She was being recalled by her Summoner. She breathed in, relieved, she knew she was safe for now. Then something caught the corner of her eye. A bright burst of silver light ripped the ground apart and thundered towards her.

Despite raising her shield in time, she staggered from the strike. This was followed by some sort of horrific force slamming into her. Leona fell to one knee, and swung her shield out. She felt it make contact with her attacker, which was followed by a bright beam of arcane energy being fired off towards the aggressor. Leona got to her feet and blinked in surprise. It was Diana, glaring at her. Leona could feel her own body was exceptionally weak from the prior fight she had been in, but at point blank range her Summoner assured her that they could live. Her sword hummed with energy, and she fired a bolt of pure sunlight at the lady of the moon.

The moonlit woman dodged to one side to avoid the beam of sunlight, and leaped into the air. Diana became a bolt of pure lunar light and slammed into Leona once more while another bolt of arcane energy struck her. Leona suddenly felt her entire body become displaced. She was torn through the barriers of reality, and teleported a few meters away from her original position. Leona took a step away from the tower when a sudden gravitational pull tore her back to Diana. The lady of the moon reached out, grabbing the back of Leona's head and slammed her into the ground. The Avatar rolled onto her back and held her shield up to defend herself one last time. Diana raised her viciously curved blade and snapped it downwards. Her face bore no hate, no love, no emotion in any sense. This, for her, was business.

It was then that Leona discovered the true purpose behind the Lunari's weapon. Aside from making it resemble the moon, having such a strong curve rendered the Solari Avatar's shield completely and utterly useless due to how long it and how curved it is. It simply went up and above the shield, and firmly penetrated Leona's skull. Diana stood over the fallen Avatar. In Leona's final moments, she heard and saw a few things.

She heard a loud voice boom, calling out Leona's death at the hands of Diana. Leona also heard Diana mutter to herself, "The first of many deaths, the hundredth of many steps…" It was then that she saw an arrow suddenly pierce the chest of the moon lady. Staggering back, Diana's body became fully encased in ice. Leona started to black out, death overcoming her. She knew this, the familiar warmth of the Sun started to fill and seep out from her body. In her final moments, she felt the ice shards of the former Diana rain down upon her corpse.

And then, one final thought,  _What now?_


	3. Solar Flare

"Why has she called us together? And now, of all times? It is nearly dusk."

"Did you not hear?"

"Hear what?"

"The Heretic returned. She has joined the League."

"…What?"

"They even fought in a match today. Apparently, the Heretic targeted only Leona the entire match."

"This is not good."

"Indeed. We must see why she has called us, but if it is what we think it is…We know what we must do."

Sixty men, each wearing purple togas with gold hems, walked as one. They were all either in the mid-thirties or early forties in age. They stepped through the white marbled halls of the temple complex in silence, they came upon row upon row of shining, monumental colonnades. Sunlight seemed to pour from every crevice as the men neared their destination. The Radiant Dawn, in all of her glory and decorated in her ceremonial armor, sat in her large oaken chair in a large open space, sunlight seemingly streaming from her very being. Several hoplites in brass armor, shields and spears held at their side stood behind her. One of these men stood at her left, holding a large, shining shield with his xiphos blade sheathed. The councilmen grabbed the hickory stools that littered the floor, arranged themselves into a circle and looked at the Avatar, waiting for her to start. Dusk was approaching, making it a very strange time for her to call a meeting.

After a few minutes, Leona finally moved and looked around at the council gathered before her now. She opened her mouth, and her usual firm yet soft, commanding yet comforting voice filled the room, "Do you know why I have called this meeting, and deemed it urgent, council?"

They looked at one another, murmuring amongst themselves. One of them finally spoke up, "It is because of the appearance of the heretic."

"Diana."

The men murmured to one another once more. The same man spoke up, "We heard about what happened in the match. We understand you must be fe-"

"I want to know about the Lunari."

The man tried to stare at the Radiant Dawn, squinting his eyes in his best attempt to look at her while he responded. The light emanating from her seemed to intensify with each passing moment. "The original Elders went over this with you, Avatar. Nothing has changed."

Leona folded her hands on top of one another onto her lap. Her hazel eyes seemed to burn into the skull of the man speaking, "Why was she to be executed?"

"Pardon?"

"I want to know. Why was she to be executed?"

Several of the people spoke one after another, reaffirming their reason, "Because that is the punishment of heretics."

"I see," Leona nodded. "Why was I not consulted, in regards to her?"

The council looked at one another, than at Leona. The same man as before spoke up again, "They did what they knew was necessary, Avatar. We are following Solari law and scripture, your will."

"…Excuse me?"

The man continued, "Solari law dictates that any heretic of the Solari religion is to be asked to give up their belief and rejoin the Sun as the first step of many steps to their redemption. Anyone who refuses any of these steps is condemned and executed, so it is decreed by the original Avatar."

Leona's eyes twitched, "Which is to say, is not me."

"She was the sun before you, and you are now her. Ergo, your will, is her will, which is subservient to the sun. She who was blessed by the sun only fulfilled its' will, that being heretics are given a chance for redemption, and then executed. It is how it has always been."

"That is why Diana was to be executed without alerting me?"

The man nodded, "The Elders and us believed that such a petty issue would not be needed to be brought up with you. We know why you have called the council to convene."

The other men murmured to one another, nodding in agreement. The man got up from his seat and fell to his knees, supplicating himself in front of Leona. The others followed suit. The man spoke, "We apologize for the failure of those who came before us, Avatar. Today could have been avoided if Diana was dealt with promptly. Forgive us, the Council of Elders, for the failure of our predecessors, and for not having the strength to quell the heresy. For our failure, you have suffered."

The sunlight bathed them, almost scorching from the heat emanating from her. Her golden greaves rapidly clicked on the ground. She stood in front of the man who had been addressing her this entire time. "Elder Alexios."

He looked up at her, squinting in a feeble attempt to stare directly at the Avatar to no avail. As he bowed his head once more, he could feel the toga cloth on his shoulders was suddenly caught in an iron grasp. He was harshly jerked to his feet which was followed by a resonating slap that echoed through the entire agora complex. Leona readjusted her grip his toga and drew him close to her, the heat radiating off of her presence starting to bubble his skin, "How dare you?"

She heaved him to the floor. Her voice roared in volume, "How dare you? How dare any of you?!"

The hoplites moved forward, and situated themselves next to her. The one with the sword reached out to Leona and touched her shoulder. She pulled away from him as she continued questioning the council before her, "Why was I not consulted?!"

Alexios blinked in sheer shock. The other members of the council stared, dumbfounded at the events that were still unfolding. He tried speaking, "It is your w-"

"No!" Leona yelled. She slammed her fist on her chest, the metal breastplate clearly rang from the intensity. "I was not consulted! I was not asked! I am not my predecessor! How dare you assume such things?!"

"She…she is a heretic. We have only-"

"The Lunari were wiped out and slaughtered by the Solari! Why?!"

The elder blinked again, "Our ancestors followed the decrees of the Solari Avatar. No heretics can live. We spoke about this many ti-"

"Not their name! You never said their name, you all called them the unbelievers, the heretics, the corrupters of man, not the Lunari!"

"Would a name change anything? They are what they are. It was by her decree that-"

"Hers! Not mine!" Leona steethed. She kept her fists clenched tightly at her side, shaking from the emotion running through her.

Silence fell upon the crowd. A few moments later, she barked at them, "Where are her notes?"

"Pardon?"

"Her notes!" Leona raised her voice. The heat exuding from her was overly apparent now. The hoplites were sweating bullets while the unprotected council could feel their skin had become noticeably tight and dry, quickly compounding in intensity.

She yelled again, "Where are Diana's notes?"

"They were burned, as in accordance-"

"Where were they?"

Elder Alexios opened his hands pitifully, "Ah…well…we assumed her old room. With the failure of the original Council, we decided to take the next steps as in accordance-"

If looks could kill, Leona would have bisected this man. "Were you successful?"

"We believe-"

"Yes or no," she snapped.

"…We are unsure," the man admitted. "The door refused to open, even to its key. Even the strongest men of the Vanguard could not budge it. She must have done something to the door, so we tried feeding the fire underneath the door. We saw the light of fire, we could smell the oil burning, and we let it be."

Leona looked at the hoplites behind her, "…Which of you helped them."

Three armored men stepped forward. She pointed at them, "And you did not tell me? You knew, and you did not tell me?"

It was strange, to see Leona of all people so angry. The marble floor where her boots touched liquefied as she walked away from the group of men and hoplites. After some time, a couple of hoplites trudged after her, the one with the xiphos commanding the others, "See the Elders to their homes and whatever other business they have."

* * *

A quick turn around a familiar corridor, down a hallway, the Radiant Dawn stormed down the halls. Her radiance did not dim until she stopped in front of a certain door. She grabbed the handle, turned it and pressed her entire body weight into the frame, only to have the door easily swing open. She stumbled in and barely managed to catch herself. Once she regained her balance, she observed the scene before her.

The only traces of fire were the ashes that rested on the floor, the oil soaked rags - blackened and fragile. A breeze swept into the room through the open window. The fire had received enough oxygen to build and to consume the room, especially considering it was resting on top of piles of scattered papers. The entire room was covered in papers. The walls had maps of the sky, the constellations with degrees and connecting lines between some star configurations and clusters, with numerals also having been scribbled upon the paper; various phases of the moon and other astronomical graphs. Making her way over to the desk, she saw notebook after notebook that seemed to blanket its entire face. Jars of ink laid scattered about, the black liquid now completely dried upon the numerous pens and brushes Diana once wrote with. Leona reached over and grabbed one of the books and flipped it open. Her hazel eyes widened as she read its contents.

Aside from various calculations, degrees, some weird jargon coding and other geological and astrological sketches and writing, it was also Diana's diary. Leona randomly read aloud one of the final entries,

"I'm close, so very close. I can feel it, I can sense it. The texts, it's all there. It's all there. The puzzle, need to unpuzzle. Why is it in here? I don't know, I need to solve it. I'm so close. Why is it there? Can't care, not now, after I'll think, now I need to dig deeper. It's there, it's there, I swear it is, I'm not sure how much longer I can hold these books. With Leona in the League, the Elders are becoming nervous without their sacred texts. Understandable, really, but still... Just a little longer, I'm almost there, and then I can prove it. I can show them, I will show her. Her face, I can't get her face out of my head, that look she gave me. I can't, I need to prove it not only for myself, but for her now. I need to be right, I can't get those eyes out of my head, those pitying eyes. I'll show her, I'm not crazy, I am right, I know this. I have not asked for much, but please, please dear Sun, please dear Moon…For my sake, for her sake, let me be right...Please…"

Leona hiccupped, pressed her free gauntleted hand to her lips and shut the book closed. She placed it on the table and walked over to the bed. It was neatly made and did not look like its occupant had been missing for the months she had been. She sat on it, sinking into the mattress. Leona removed her gauntlets and buried her face in her hands, while her armored shoulders shook with silent sobs.

A hand rapped on the open door, followed by a man`s voice, "Radiant Dawn? May I come in?"

Leona collected herself and looked up. She nodded to no one in particular and attempted to speak authoritatively. For once, she failed, her voice coming out as a whisper, "Come in."

The hoplite walked in. His shield was strapped to his back and his xiphos blade rested snugly in his scabbard. He looked around, his expression obscured by his helmet, "...Couldn't even clean up after herself, huh?"

"…Hm?"

"Look at this…" He pointed around the room, "Papers everywhere, there's some ink there, I think I see a dust bunny family under the bed just waiting to repopulate the land, she could have at least organized herself before leaving."

Leona simply stared at him. The hoplite scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his fingernails rasping against the metal of his helmet, "…And that's what happens when I'm put on the spot."

She smiled and shook her head, "Sorry, it's just…I'm not in a very humorous mood."

He sighed and nodded his head back at her, "Yeah, I know, I just…I don't like to see you sad, Radiant D-"

"We are alone, Molik," she interrupted, her voice flat and humorless. "Please, call me Leona."

The hoplite grabbed the only chair in the room, dragged it over and plopped himself into it. "I've never seen you so angry, Leona. Ever."

"…Did you know?"

Molik froze and looked at Leona. She pressed the question again, "Did you know?"

"…Not entirely, no."

Leona reached over and grabbed his hands, gripping them. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shook his head, "I didn't…I didn't put two and two together. I did not think it was important. I'm sorry, Leona. For the pain it caused you, I am sorry."

"…I spoke to the Summoners afterwards."

Molik blinked.

She continued, "I asked them why they did not test her, why did they not change her memories as they had done for most others? They were surprised I didn't realize. They told me it was because I was her test, there was not much else they could have done to someone who lost everything and knew it. To do anything more would have been sadistic."

Leona closed her eyes and bowed her head. She released his hands and remained still on the bed. She eventually spoke, "Molik, can I ask you to leave me be? If you see any more of the Vanguard, let them know I am here, but I do not wish to be disturbed. Please close the door on your way out."

He silently complied. The hoplite got up from the chair and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. Leona looked around the room, taking in the full extent of the various diagrams and notes strewn about. "For what it's worth, Diana, I am sorry…"

Leona got up from the bed, walked over to the desk, dragged the chair into place, and sat down in it. She grabbed another leather bound book, flipped it open, and started reading.

* * *

The clear night sky allowed the waning moon to shine down upon the travelers. A young man walked alongside two donkeys pulling a wagon, within the wagon were a young woman and two children fast asleep, a boy and a girl. He cursed at himself for staying for so long in Demacia, the roads at night were not safe. He weathered a rough guess that they were thirty minutes away from their farmstead. He recognized the place marker at the crossroad, breathing a sigh of relief. He was right, they were almost there.

The rustling of bushes pricked his ears. He looked over to his left and saw five figures emerge. Moonlight glinted off of sharpened steel as they sauntered over to the wagon. The man sighed, he was so close to home.

The shadowy figures walked up to him and pointedly spoke, "Your money or your lives."

"Don't y-"

The blade was pressed against his throat. A disgruntled voice commanded, "Just hurry up. Tonight's been a long night."

He looked over at the woman in the wagon, only hints of fear in his voice, "Dear, do we have any more money from today?"

The woman, her entire body tense, nodded her head, "J-just, just twenty coins."

"…What." The bandits looked at one another, throwing their hands up in exasperation, "What are we going to do with twenty coins?"

The man made a very poor choice in telling them what they could do, "You could just get jobs instead of robbing people, you damn hooligans."

This earned him a back fist to the jaw. The woman muffled a scream, which woke her children up. They looked around hazily and became catatonic with fear. The bandits pointed at them, "Didn't notice the brats. Noxus still buys them, right?"

"Yeah, they do."

"Hand 'em over."

The children's father got back to his feet and wobbled over to the wagon, shaking his head defiantly, "Take the twenty, leave them alone!"

Their blades glinted as they neared the family when the little girl let out a loud squeak of panic, clamping her mouth shut. One of the bandits laughed, "Y'see? Yer only scaring them the longer you delay this. C'mon, either your kids or something equivalent. Wait, y'got food, right? That works, all of your food or yer kids."

Before the young father could respond, his daughter did so for him, "I-I'm not scared of you," she squeaked out. She pointed behind them, "I'm-I'm-I'm…There's her."

Before the bandits could scoff at the young girl for trying such a trick, their ringleader suddenly lost his head. His body slumped to the ground, dark blood flowing freely from the open cavity of his neck. The other bandits scrambled away from him. A cold, uncaring voice spoke up, "The moon sees all."

The blood was flicked off the viciously curved blade. A woman with long flowing, platinum blonde hair stepped into view and was instantly bathed in the moonlight. She looked at the family, "Will you embrace the moon as your nightly protector, the one who illuminates your path in the dark of night?"

The remaining bandits snorted and laughed. More figures emerged. A total of eleven men now surrounded the moonlit woman. One of them snapped their fingers at her, "I saw you today, in yer League match…Diana, right? The heretic? The hells are you doing here?"

Diana looked over, her grey eyes boring into the man's soul, judging his very existence. "What do you think of the moon?"

The bandit rolled his eyes, "I love it. I love it with all of my heart. Now f-"

His head promptly flew off. Diana looked at the remaining thugs, "Those who lie will die. What is your choice?"

Several of the men unsheathed flintlock pistols, aimed them at her, and fired. Diana did not respond, the bullets exploding far before they made contact with her. The moonlit knight's entire body seemed to emanate moonlight as she took a single step towards them, three of the men closest to her exploding in a shower of pale silver and crimson mist.

Two of the remaining gunmen fell to the road while the others attempted to flee. Flicking her wrist, silver light ripped up from the ground beneath them, reminiscent of the waning moon above them. The moment the light touched the fleeing men, they were promptly dismembered. The last words one could hear if they were close enough were their whispers, " _S-so…so…cold…_ "

She craned her head and stared at the two who did not flee. They prostrated themselves in front of her, "We love the moon! We love it! We'll worship it, alright?! Please, just, just let us live!"

"The world has no need for liars, while the moon…" Diana raised her blade as she strode towards them, "Has no need for cowards who watch their comrades die."

The family watched the bloodbath before them, shaking and quaking in fear. The father was making several gestures over his chest while the young mother clutched her children, trembling. Diana looked over at them, her dead eyes staring at them. Her icy voice flatly stated, "It was not the Sun that watched over you this night. She was absent as always. Remember, and pay your respects to the Moon."

With that, she walked away into the darkness before them. The family could actually see her progress, from the faint, silver light emanating from her very being. He reached into the wagon, grabbed a small package and muttered, "Respect, respect, ah…only got bread. Wait, yes! Smoked meat, oh thank the gods. H-hope this's enough, oh gods, please let it be enough." He placed the bread and meat at the foot of the signpost at the crossroad, muttered a few more thanks before he whipped the donkeys to get moving.

* * *

The early beams of sunrise rose over the mountainous plains of the Rakkor people. The golden wheat fields swayed in the wind. A hoplite, wearing the gold and purple colors of the Solari Vanguard, walked down a gravel path. His shield rested on his back, while his xiphos slapped against his leg every other step. He made his way towards a little homestead. The Solari hoplite could see an elderly man already in the fields, tending to his sheep. Molik paused briefly before the front door, then politely rapped his knuckles against it.

A gruff voice barked at him, "What is it?"

"Pantheon?"

The door swung open. A man stood in the entrance of the house, his chest and shoulders brushed the wooden frame of the ajar door. His face was occluded by the darkness of the house, he grunted and pointed at the hoplite, "Stay here."

He reappeared a few minutes later clad in his own set of hoplite armor. His, however, was not only a brilliant crimson with a large black mantle, but it belonged to an ancient Rakkor warrior as was the tradition of their people. He had earned it through the Rite of Kor. His shield and spear were of no special note in the way of appearance, save for the hundreds of runes etched onto the metal of the weapon. His face was now hidden by the heavy helmet resting on his head, save for the bright, burning amber eyes that seemed to shine from the darkness. " **What do you want, Molik?** "

Molik bowed towards the larger, more intimidating man, "It is about Leona."

" **Go away.** " Pantheon shoved past the man, stepping out onto the path. He looked back and growled at Molik, " **How did you know when and where to find me?** "

"You always went for your run at this time, and I expected you to still be living in your parents' home. Rakkor tradition and all, andI sort of assumed you hadn't found a w-"

" **Assumptions get you killed.** "

"Then you will listen to what I have to say."

Pantheon thumped his spear onto the ground, he impatiently waited for Molik to continue.

"Diana has returned."

" **…Who? Should this name mean something to me? You are interrupting my run.** "

"She is a heretic."

Pantheon shrugged his shoulders, " **So?** "

Molik's voice raised slightly, "She killed the Council of Solari Elders and destroyed the Solari temple."

" **Point being: So?** " Pantheon shrugged, " **The Council has been replaced already. The dead are dead, it is not the concern of the Rakkor. These are Solari matters.** "

"She is a danger to Leona. She joined the League."

" **Then I will kill her if I need to, just as my occupation dictates. She is no exception.** "

Molikstepped towards Pantheon, his tone becoming angrier, "She may kill Leona, Pantheon! And not in the League, she seems possessed by the idea of killing Leona again and again! The League's not going to satiate her, she's going to want more! You can see it in her eyes, she's…she's crazy! She's insane, you can see it so clearly. And if she returns to the Solari, I don't know if I'm strong en-"

A short, abrupt mocking laugh erupted from Pantheon. He spun his spear about lazily, his deep voice heavy with derision, " **No, you're not. Otherwise you wouldn't be asking me, and you wouldn't be so nervous.** " He pointed at Molik with his spear, " **What did you lie about to Leona, Molik? Are you lying to her, to me, or to yourself? What's got you so on edge? Your body language screams your guilt, you little worm. Go back to the Solari. I owe nothing to them, or to you.** "

The Solari hoplite stomped over and grabbed the Rakkor hoplite's shoulder, "What is wrong with you?! She could die! Pantheon, I'm begging you, she's your friend! Our friend! I need your help, to protect our friend, we need to-"

" **Our friend? You and I are not friends. She and I are not, 'friends.' She is the Solari Avatar, I am the Artisan of War and you are a member of the Solari Vanguard. I need to do nothing but to kill those I am pointed at. If you are so concerned, now it is too late. This could have been avoided a long time ago, all you had to do was die in the right place at the right time and this could have been avoided,** " Pantheon spat back. Slapping the hand away, he growled at Molik, " **Leona's chosen her path, I have chosen mine, you have chosen yours, and whoever this Diana woman is has done the same. There is nothing more to be said on the matter. All of you, live with it.** "

Pantheon turned around and readied himself to start his run. Molik laughed, shaking his head, "We were friends, Pantheon! The three of us were, and she's in danger! I need your help, please!"

" **She was in danger once before. You were content with letting her die back then.** "

"I…I-I couldn't help myself, I couldn't stop the tears! I'm sorry, Pantheon, I can't express that enough, but it was Leona, how could I hurt her? How could I think of ever hurting her?" Gesturing to the Rakkor, he questioned, "What would you have done? Could you have killed her?"

" **That implies you or I had the skill to do so. Even if I had said skill…** " Pantheon shrugged once more, " **I would have let her kill me. I would have thrown myself onto the end of her blade.** "

"That's why you're needed!" Molik yelled. "Someone is coming to take away our avatar, our light, our sun! She may die!"

Pantheon stopped at this statement. He rested himself on his knees, slowly got up, faced Molik, and shook his head, " **…You don't get it, do you? Tch. Go crawl into a well and die. She has chosen her path, as I have chosen mine. If she dies, she dies.** "

With that, Pantheon took off for his run, weapons in hand, leaving Molik behind.

Molik threw his hands up in frustration. Despite his heavy armor and weapons, he could see that Pantheon had become only a speck in the distance in mere moments. Trudging along the path, the Solari hoplite had a long walk back.

* * *

Leona's eyes fluttered open. The morning sun rays shone in through the window. She raised her head up from the desk. She looked down at her feet and saw the literal flood of papers and books scattered about. Leona stretched her body, she felt sore: She had fallen asleep while studying the notes and journal entries Diana left behind. Unfortunately, she was still wearing the full attire of the Solari avatar, heavy as it was. The chair screeched back. She stood up, removed her diadem and stared out at the morning sun. Closing her eyes, she let it bask her in its incandescent glory.

Piece by piece she removed the Solari armor. She took off all of the metal components until she was left wearing only her modest, violet bodysuit; her golden greaves and the boots that accompanied them. She rested the stripped armor onto the unused bed. She sat back into the chair, grabbed another book with a feather sticking out of it, and continued where she had left off.


	4. To Follow One Path so Blindly

The lady of the moon rested herself, arms crossed with a menacing demeanor, in a corner of the room. She was waiting for the other champions to be summoned, but did not bother to see who would be who would be accompanying her today. It didn't matter to her. Only at the sound of metal greaves clanking towards her did she bother to raise her head. An ice-cold stare was exchanged between Diana and the armored hoplite. She snorted, "Rakkor."

" **Who are you?** "

She shifted her shoulders ever so slightly, "I am Diana."

The hoplite nodded, " **I have heard of you. Pantheon.** "

The name alone was enough for Diana to lift an eyebrow in interest, "Pantheon? You know Leona then."

" **Yes.** "

"Where has she been?" Diana slowly pushed herself out of the corner, "I have not seen her for twelve days now. Where is she?"

" **Not sure.** "

"Hrn. They will not leave me alone until I can prove to them I am 'stable'."

Pantheon eyed Diana from the shadow of his helmet, taking note of her posture, " **Stable?** " The warrior could not detect any pause or hesitation in her demeanor. She was relaxed, confident, but it only served to remind him of a coiled viper, waiting to strike.

"The Summoners believe I may be a 'threat' to Leona's personal safety outside of the League, and they were reportedly approached by someone concerned for her safety." Her grey eyes narrowed, "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Pantheon shook his head, " **Not my place to say.** "

"How do you know me, then? Who was it? Was it her?"

" **No,** " Pantheon flatly replied. " **That is not who she is. If you knew her at all, you would know that.** "

"Then where has she been?"

" **I do not know.** "

Diana scoffed, "You do not? How odd, coming from you."

" **What is that supposed to mean?** " Pantheon gripped his spear tighter.

"Exactly as it sounds. She used to talk about you."

Pantheon looked away, rolling his eyes out of her line of sight and issued a short, condescending grunt, " **Tch.** "

Without warning, Pantheon swung his spear in a broad arc. Diana's curved blade caught it as she ducked underneath the strike. She pushed forward and pressed her palm against the hoplite's chest armor. Pantheon withdrew his spear with a quiet harumph, " **Leona taught you that.** " His voice was flat for the most part, but Diana could swear she heard the barest hint of satisfaction within his tone.

"What makes you think such a thing?"

" **It screams of her technique. The Solari are not as well versed in combat, and a typical defense maneuver by a Solari would be to have a shield, to block the strike and wait for an opportune moment to attack rather than to redirect it. This is a Rakkor technique, and one that Leona specialized in. Redirect, disarm, and take down,** " Pantheon replied. " **Even your stance reminds me of hers.** "

"Your stance is somewhat similar to hers as well."

Pantheon grunted and waved Diana off, " **Why shouldn't it? I was also trained by the Rakkor.** "

Diana looked away and silence fell over them once more. The other champions did not seem to bother the Rakkor man and the Lunari woman. A few moments later, she spoke up, "What do you think of the Lunari?"

" **Hm?** "

"What is your opinion on the Lunari? Surely you have been told of their, and my, so called atrocities."

" **I don't care.** "

"Why not? You fight for the Sol-"

Pantheon let out a short bout of cruel sounding laughter before replying, " **I don't fight for them. I fight to defend my people, to defend my homeland, to show these other city-states who it is they will have to face if they ever dare trespass on Rakkor land. I am not a religious man. I am the Artisan of War.** " His eyes settled back on Diana's face, and at once his voice hardened, " **You being a supposed heretic means nothing to me. Worship whatever you want, and if you are tormented, insulted, belittled and attacked because of it, why not fight back? Why not defend yourself? Why** _ **did**_ **you kill them?** "

"Because they wished to quell the truth, the one only I knew."

Pantheon grunted and pointed at her with his spear hand, " **Then good. You killed them. Less scum to deal with.** "

"Then you agree?"

" **Did Leona command them to do whatever they did? I highly doubt it,** " Pantheon snorted. " **They were acting in their own self interest rather than for the group as a whole. I am not a religious man, but I will not abide idiocy. I am Rakkor. Let them deal with their own problems, and we will deal with ours.** "

Diana stared at the hoplite, not impressed. "A man with no faith is a man who has no soul."

" **I never said I had no faith, I said I am not a religious man.** " He pointed at the ceiling, " **The Sun and the Moon exist whether we see them or not. Why should I not have faith? To follow one path so blindly is foolish.** "

"Will you not give the Moon a chance?"

Pantheon rolled his eyes, muttering a short grunt of exasperation, " **Are you deaf? I just said-** "

"Disappointing."

" **Eh?** " The hoplite's voice raised a bit, challenging her for an explanation for her statement, " **What do you mean?** "

Diana pushed past Pantheon as intense magical energy started to swirl about them. They were being prepared to be summoned onto the Fields of Justice. Diana raised her head slightly, as if she had just remembered something, "She used to talk about the three of you: You, Molik, and her." Her tone in her voice conveyed her disinterest.

Pantheon shifted his stance slightly, grunting.

"Do you know what she used to say about you?"

The Rakkor hoplite gave no verbal response, his armor clanking as he turned to face her.

"She said you were a good man." She looked back at him and flicked her weapon, "That may have been once, a long time ago. Don't get in the way of the truth. I will end you."

With that, she disappeared in a burst of light. Pantheon shouldered his weapons and let out an exasperated groan. He really needed to stab something.

* * *

Leona thumped her head on the desk. She was not happy. Books littered the room, tome upon tome were piled high in stacks on the desk and on the floor closest to her. Dark bags were prevalent under her hazel eyes. She had not slept very well in the past couple of weeks. She rubbed her face, then picked a pen up and started to scratch out more notes. "It's supposed to be in these books. I don't get it...what did you see, Diana? What am I missing?"

A knock on the door. Leona did not acknowledge it, she was too engrossed in her work. It slowly creaked open, and a hoplite walked in with a tray: A small teapot filled with boiling water, a cup, and a few pieces of toast were some of the items that rested on the tray, as well as a small stick of butter and a jar of honey. He lightly but tepidly walked over to the desk and set the tray and its contents next to the Radiant Dawn while softly asking, "How's it going, Leona?"

"You tell me," she pointed behind her.

He saw the bed was filled with torn and balled up papers, nearly covering the mattress.

Leona rubbed her face again, "So many things, so many discrepancies, I don't see how she did it. Is there a pattern? A code? Am I supposed to slant the books at a precise angle while pointing a lens in the sunlight to reveal a map? This doesn't make sense."

Finally noticing the tray, she reached over, "Thank you, Molik." She grabbed a piece of toast and nibbled on it. Leona sighed, "Remember the bread we had when we were young?"

"Yeah. You never did say where you found it, Leona. It wasn't gremlins, was it?" Molik smiled at her, trying to prompt a bit of laughter.

This did not work. Leona bobbed her head and replied with a simple, "Mm." She reached over, sliced off a large piece of butter and placed it on the toast. She dropped the toast from her mouth into her free hand, grabbed the tiny spoon and scooped up a dab of honey. Carefully she drizzled it over the butter.

The hoplite winced as he watched her take a bite of the toast, "Still not sure how you can eat it like that..."

"It's actually quite nice," Leona admitted, smiling ever so slightly. "It perks the spirit with a bit of tea."

"Where did you ever pick up such a strange combination?"

She did not answer. She quietly poured herself a cup of tea. Leona looked at the papers and let out another sigh, "I don't know what to do, Molik. I don't know where to look, what to find, nothing! The notes she made are so...convoluted. I can barely keep up with them. It's frustrating, Molik."

"Are you making any progress?"

Leona nodded, her eyebrows narrowed, her lips pursed, "Yes, but barely."

"Maybe you should get some sleep then, Leona."

"I can't. Night is when any of these texts make the slightest bit of sense. Another piece or two found and then I analyze them during the day. I need to observe the constellations, the faces of the moon, its position, I  _am_ making a little progress. I just need to make more, step by step."

Molik rested his hand on her shoulder, "One night won't end the world, Leona. Get some sleep, wake up and come for prayers tomorrow morning."

"Look at these notes, Molik," Leona swept her hand about the room. "She spent countless hours, countless days making these, and they were all going to be burned. They were going to be snuffed out and hidden because of me."

The hoplite shook his head, "Leona, you've tried. Maybe that's enough. It's been weeks. You tried, and you're barely getting anywhere. What else can y-"

"What did you say?"

Leona glared at him. She screeched the chair back and stood from her seat. She turned around, nearly towering over him, almost glowering at her friend as she asked him again, "What did you just say?"

"Leona, I-"

"I will not give up on her. Do you hear me, Molik? I will not give up on her!" She started to yell, "It was because of me they all died! Do you understand? It was because I wasn't there, it's because I was ignorant that she was going to be executed! It's because of me she was put in such a position!" She leaned closer to Molik, her eyes were lit with anger. He could almost swear there was fire seeping out from her eyelids.

Her yelling continued, "If I was worth my salt as the Solari Avatar I would have stopped that event from ever happening! It's my fault she's this way, it's my fault they're dead, it's my fault the temple was destroyed, it was all because of my ignorance!"

"But-"

"They are supposed to be my representatives and they do that! How could they? How?!" Leona breathed in and out, eventually calming herself, "I'm...I'm sorry, Molik. I didn't mean to snap at you."

The hoplite nodded his head, the tension in his shoulders disappearing, "It's alright, Leona."

Leona grabbed her toast and took another quiet bite of it. She looked outside, and noticed that the sun had started to set. "...It's almost time."

After she placed the toast back on the plate, she stretched herself and paced around the room while softly speaking, "I need to do this, Molik. I need to do this, for her and for me. I need to show her that I am not ignorant, I need to show her that I am aware, and then maybe..." She sighed, her back facing the hoplite, "Maybe then I can talk to her. Maybe then she will listen to me, as I listened to her."

Molik shook his head, concern in both his features and his tone, "Leona, are you not scared? She wishes to kill you. She will kill you. Is she worth it?"

"I do not fear death. You know that first h-" Leona's eyes went wide, and quickly silenced herself. The damage had already been done. She turned around and looked at Molik, having fallen silent. She eventually asked, in almost a hushed whisper, "...Please leave me be, Molik. I am sorry, but I have a lot of work to do. Good evening."

The hoplite nodded and walked out of the room. He closed the door behind him. The moment he heard the handle click, he tore off his helmet. Tears streamed down from his eyes as he lamented, "I wish you'd stop apologizing. Why do you keep apologizing? Why?"

Leona made her way to the window, positioned the telescope, and pointed it at the sky. Once the dark blanket of night had fallen, the skies revealed a moonless night lit only by stars. She winced, and looked over at the papers next to the cold tea and toast that rested on the desk. She would be able to draw parallels with only the constellations tonight. She allowed a light glow emanate from her body. Once the light was suitable, Leona grabbed a bookmarked tome, some scrap paper, a pen, and started reading. She glanced up at the night sky every now and then. Each time she did so, she would slightly wince. Within minutes, she placed the papers, the pen, everything down. Leona had to do this, out of habit. It was probably meaningless, but it was a moonless night. She probably would not hear, but Leona would pray for the both of them anyways. She clasped her hands together and muttered a short prayer. It was these nights that always unsettled both herself and her the most.

* * *

Crimson streams spurted out in a fountain. Flicking her blade, the lady of the moon looked about the encampment. A small Noxian troop trying to move closer to Rakkor lands. She would not allow such people and their arrogance endanger others. She scanned the scene while trying to wipe the blood off her face, only serving to smudge it more. She heard a noise. She turned to face the source, where she saw a grizzled old man stand in front of a young man. They were wounded, but not dead. He was standing, facing her, but was scared.

"What will you do?"

He rushed her, swinging his blade overhead. She easily sidestepped him and threw him to the ground. "Why do you keep fighting? Your comrades are dead."

"You won't take my son away from me!" the old man roared. He got to his feet and readied himself for another charge. He was unsteady, the fresh wounds clearly debilitating the man, yet he was still willing to fight.

Diana pointed at him, "Do you wish to live?"

"...Yes?"

She pointed at the young man behind her with her blade, "Do you wish for him to live?"

"Yes."

"Then accept the moon as your protector."

The old man laughed, readying his blade, "What? Why? How will that h-"

Diana raised a hand at him, silencing him. She coldly spoke, "I killed the rest of these men because they thought it wise to attack me. I had no qualm with them. I asked them to leave, they refused. I asked them to join, they attacked. What makes you think you have the strength to do what a dozen men could not?"

The old man shook a bit, "I can't...I can't abandon Noxus. No one can. They'll come."

"You do not have to abandon Noxus, just accept. If you are in danger, let them come," Diana replied. Her voice was cold, firm and confident, "Let them send their armies. Be it man or machine, grain cannot ever hope to overcome the scythe. I will protect you, him, and any other believer with my life."

She threw a hand up, mockingly so, "Or you could try to attack the Moon. You will see the futility first hand."

The Noxian lowered his blade, shaking, "...You swear?"

"On my life. I do not break my word."

The old man lowered his blade and walked over to her, "How do I know you can be trusted?"

"You're not dead yet," the lady of the moon pointed out, a slight hint of scorn in her tone. Her voice returned back to its colder, firm tone, "And it is for the same reason I can trust you: the Moon has judged you, and your son, accordingly. The day will come when the house of the Moon will be restored. Until that day, and after it arrives, I will watch over you. All you need to do is chose to believe: Praise the moon."

"...Praise...praise the moon..."

Diana's porcelain face cracked for a single moment, letting a smile spread across her lips for that split second. With that, she walked away. So long as she was around, there would never be another moonless night again. Still, looking up at the night sky, seeing the absent silver sphere, she could not help but feel the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

* * *

"Molik? Has her mind changed? Have you been successful?"

The hoplite sighed, shaking his head, "She refuses to deter. She is tired, she is starting to become exhausted. Not even the tea is helping."

The elders murmured to one another, "This is not good...not good at all...We have heard some disconcerting rumors."

Molik raised an eyebrow, "Rumors?"

"Yes. They say the heretic is recruiting."

"Recruiting?" His voice hardened, "Who?"

"Anyone willing to listen. We have been told a few Noxians have joined her."

Molik shook his head, "She's making an army...Dear Gods..."

"What did the Summoners say?"

"They said they would keep tabs on her, make sure she is compliant. She has been so far."

The elders shook their heads, "The Radiant Dawn is in danger, and she does not see it. This does not bode well."

"No," Molik slammed his fist on his chest. "I will protect her. I swear it."

The elders nodded at one another and turned to him once more, "Tell us her progress, and how she fares mentally. We fear that the longer she looks at those notes, her mental capacities may start to deteriorate...just like the heretic."

"That will not happen. She will not become like Di..." the hoplite coughed, "I mean, the heretic."

"You are dismissed, Molik."

The hoplite nodded and motioned to the rest of the Vanguard, "Men, move out."

The elders conferred with one another, worry on their faces. They could not let the Lunari rise again, even if the Radiant Dawn was blind to it, they were not.


	5. What Needs to be Done

"Leona? Are you there?"

The Radiant Dawn's eyelids fluttered. The bags under her eyes clear signs of how late she stayed up the previous night. She could swear someone was trying to talk to her, the voice sounded muffled to her ears.

"Leona?"

She let out a groan. Leona slipped over to one side of the seat, nearly falling out of it before straightening herself. She blinked and stared at the open book before her, her fatigue blurring the words. She started writing on a parchment next to her, though to call it writing would insinuate one could understand what she wrote, when the voice called out to her again.

"Leona!"

Leona snapped out of her trance-like state, and looked around, wide eyed bewilderment.

A woman wearing a large purple top hat affixed with a strange multi layered lens stared at her. A long rifle was strapped over her shoulder. The woman's accent was distinct in her speech, and almost as colorful as the vivid violet dress she wore, "Are you awake there, luv?" She carried a confidence about her that only seasoned professionals in any field would.

Leona nodded, "Yes...I am..." She started to rub her eyes when she realized she was still wearing her gauntlet. She took off the golden gauntlet and rubbed her eyes. "Just haven't gotten much sleep lately."

The woman reached down and picked up a small cup off the table. She held it out to Leona, and commanded in a stern tone, "Drink this."

Leona took the cup, leaned forward and smelled the edge of the cup. She attempted to identify the scent in her slightly addled state. "...Coffee?"

"Yes."

"I do not drink coffee very oft-"

"One, it's good coffee, my blend. Two, we don't have the time for the pleasantry that is tea. We need you awake and ready sooner rather than later."

Leona nodded, lifting the steaming cup to her lips. "Thank you, Sheriff Caitlyn."

"How many times must I say it? You're not a lawbreaker, you don't have to call me sheriff. Besides, it's no trouble. Just respond when I try getting your attention next time, and we can call ourselves settled."

The Radiant Dawn groaned before taking a sip of coffee. "Was I really that dazed?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, Sh...Caitlyn. Truth be told, I'm surprised I woke up today."

The woman shrugged while replying. "Summoners can be quite persuasive."

"I slept through their mental calls. I was almost summoned in my nightwear, hence my surprise."

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, "...It's two o'clock in the afternoon."

"I know. I am sorry, I just... have not been able to sleep very well lately."

Caitlyn sat on the table Leona was sitting at. She looked over at the book Leona had open and asked, with only the slightest hint of playfulness in her tone, "Is that a diary?"

"No. It is ancient Solari text."

"Then these are diaries?" Caitlyn pointed to the handful of books that rested on the table, situated to the left of Leona.

"Only the black leather bound one is."

The sheriff picked the diary up, turning it every which way, "So...why all the effort?"

"Do you know Diana?"

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, mulling over the name. "Woman with long platinum blond hair, pale skin tone, armor that shimmers like the dark side of the moon, cold demeanor, introverted, an extremist and considered a heretic of the Solari faith. Why?"

"She...Wait. What?" Leona looked over at the sheriff, both of her eyebrows raised. "How do you know all of that?"

"I'm a detective first, Leona. It would be embarrassing any other way."

"Yes...well," Leona tapped the paper in front of her. "I need to decipher the texts."

"Decipher? Can't you read them, I mean, you are a Solari, and unless there's some ancient language you are unaware of..."

"Nothing like that." Leona let out an annoyed sigh and threw her pen to the table. "There's a code within these texts to find the temple of the Lunari."

Caitlyn gave Leona a strange stare. It was a mixture of shock, disbelief, confusion, curiosity, and brainstorming all at once. She was unsure why the Sheriff was giving her such a look, and it started to unnerve her.

"...You are looking...in Ancient  _Solari_  texts, about a cult that was allegedly killed by them, to find the Lunari's super secret  _hidden temple_  that apparently  _no_  one has been able to find in  _centuries_ , in or around a place that one could assume would be near Mount Targon, yes? I'm following you correctly so far? Have I missed anything?"

"No one except Diana have been able to decipher the clues. She said it's in the texts, I don't see the pattern which is the prob-."

"And these texts are  _how_ old exactly?" Caitlyn rolled her fingers over one another as she tried deciphering this line of reasoning. "A decade, a century, two?"

"Roughly a millennium or two old. Why does that...matter..." Leona groaned upon her realization of Caitlyn's questions, her head dropping to the table and with a loud thud. She raised her head back up, frustration evident in her tone. "You make me sound crazy when you put it that way. I'm not crazy, I assure you."

"Not at all. I would never fathom of calling you crazy. I would fathom of saying this, however: I'm on the case."

"On the case? Wh-"

Caitlyn playfully tugged at Leona's shoulder plate while saying, "Scoot scoot scoot, out of the chair, I'm taking a seat." The sheriff coaxed the Avatar of the Sun out of her chair and took her own seat on it, staring at the documents. Caitlyn pointed at them, curiosity lit in her voice as she asked, "Are they written in any particular language?"

"Ancient Rakkor, it-"

"Excellent."

Caitlyn reached behind her where a fanny pack hung off her belt. She unzipped it, and her deft fingers started to sort through its contents. From within the pack, she took out an oversized encyclopedia. Apparently her little fanny pack was enchanted to be able to store large number of objects. She slammed it onto the table, opened it and her fingers started to dance through it. "My ancient Rakkor is a bit rusty, but I don't need to do direct translations. Let's see, what have you tried?"

Leona stood there, stunned at the detective. How did she have a book on their language?

As though reading her mind, Caitlyn replied, "Pantheon made a bet once with me. He lost."

"What was the bet?"

"Nothing I can tell you," she added a wink to this statement. "It doesn't really matter anyway. The fact is you need to tell me what you've done to try and decipher the texts so we can find alternate solutions."

Leona shook her head. She placed her hand the cover of one of the books as she said, "I cannot let you do that, Caitlyn. I need to decipher it myself."

"...Mhm. And why is that?"

"I owe it to her...I need to repeat her steps, to find the conclusion she came to."

Caitlyn's eyes narrowed as she regarded at the Avatar of the sun. "You want to understand her and her tribulations and so forth, which took her presumably years while deciphering these texts. Fine, fair enough. Do you have the time to do so?" The sheriff smoothed her hair back as she spoke. "I would normally agree with you that yes, one should endeavor to be self sufficient, but we both know you are. When you need the help, it is stupid to refuse a helpful hand. Now, would you like my help in at least a push in the right direction, or would you prefer the several years approach?"

Leona let out a guttural, defeated sigh and folded her arms over her chest. "I...Diana didn't need..."

"You're not her, and yes, she did need help." The sheriff opened the journal, flipped through a few pages, and stopped at one. "Day two sixty three, they came for me again. This time I was ready. Following the techniques Leona taught me, I was able to-"

"Enough," the avatar commanded. "What is the point?"

"The point is this," Caitlyn said as she closed the book and pointed at the cover. Stains littered the leather face. "Do you know what these are stains of?"

"Not really, no."

"I'm going to assume they're water stains with a high salt content. Rather strange to find on Mount Targon, no?" Caitlyn's top hat twitched as she reached up at its brim. She pulled down a complicated set of lenses, and started fiddling with it while staring at the cover. Within a few moments, she nodded and tapped at one of the stains. "Mhm, salt content. One could assume tears." Caitlyn flipped the book open and started going page by page. "If you look carefully, there's more water damage at the beginning of this journal, and then as it progresses, it becomes more prominent. When you're introduced in her writing, it stops altogether. That's also when her thoughts become more clear."

Leona was stunned. "How...what? You haven't even read the journal yet."

"No need to, yet. Have you looked at her?" Caitlyn looked over at Leona, her voice very matter of fact. "No one becomes that way one day for no reason. Take it from me, I know that look."

The sheriff tapped the table, slightly irked from the delays. "Enough with the questions: Yes, you can use my help and want it, or no, you want me to bugger off?"

"...I tried cross referencing every first word on every page of each tome. I gave up on the sixth."

Caitlyn chuckled and shook her head, "Good heavens, a rookie mistake, but a good rookie mistake. You need to try and find the pattern first before delving into solving it. Do you have your notes on what else you tried?"

Leona reached over and grabbed one of the many tomes. She flipped it open and showed the pages upon pages of her own notes. "The most sense I can think of, is if the clues were related to astronomy in some way, a poem, something." She flipped through the pages and tapped at one of them. "I thought I made some sense here, but..."

Caitlyn looked at the page, then read aloud what Leona wrote. " _Ask not the [sky son - this makes no sense] sun why [s?]he sets, why [s?]she, blank, her light all[?], or why [s?]he hides h[er? his?] glowing[illuminating? bright?] gaze when day turns [leaf to river?]._ "

The sheriff stared at the notes, then at Leona, then back at the paper. "This sounds like a poem."

"That's why I believe it to be the closest attempt I made. It has a similar introductory stanza to the Solari creed." Leona's tone changed as she started to softly sing a poem. " _Ask not why the sun rises, why he bathes all in his light, why his glory shines on all, when all who gaze skyward know his might._ " Her voice shifted back to her familiar firm, yet gentle tone. "Yet knowing that...I still cannot decipher the pattern. I did a lot of guesswork, and tried several words that seemed more...sensible."

"Is there something missing, Leona? Some notes?" Caitlyn drummed her fingers on the paper. "It seems odd that you have to do...so much research, really, now that I think about it. Why not skip to the end notes? I like a good mystery, but if time is of the essence..."

The Avatar of the Sun looked immediately downcast. She shook her head while replying, "I looked through them. I used what clues they did offer, but nothing concrete. I feel as though, as though there's a book missing. As though she has another book, with only results, with only sense, with everything perfected."

Caitlyn nodded and looked at the stanza with intense interest. She went completely silent and started to mull over the notes, her eyes hungering to decipher this code. When Leona attempted move the paper so she could see it better, the sheriff lightly slapped her hand away and continued silently analyzing the notes.

The silence was interrupted by a high pitched, scholarly voice. "What in the name of science is going on here?" A Yordle with an overly large head waddled over, his yellow mustache twitching with his thick pair of spectacles in quick rhythm. "You're supposed to be helping Leona wake up, then going over the battle strategies for said match, not...not...What are you doing?"

"Reading," Caitlyn replied, not bothering to look at the professor. "There's a mystery afoot. I need to introduce myself to the base before addressing the body of the problem."

Leona pointed at a line in the paper, muttering aloud, "And I implanted the word, 'Sun' here because-"

"You got it on your third try?"

"This is my fourth book of notes."

"Bugger. You should have brought those as well. Alright, so you..."

They started murmuring to one another once more, completely ignoring Heimerdinger. The Yordle groaned and crossed his arms, indignation evident on his furry face. "Really? A mystery _now_? We have more important matters to attend to! What can be more important than this match?"

"Sh," Caitlyn waved Heimerdinger off. "Breaking concentration."

"The match needs to be concentrated on!" He looked over at Leona, obviously upset. "What is bothering you so much that you come in here, mumble a few words of greetings and pass out?"

"I am sorry, Professor. I have been having trouble sleeping," the Radiant Dawn sighed. She knew once Heimerdinger was worked up, it would be hard to bring him back down. "I am trying to-"

"I heard what you're trying to do. Frankly, I think this Diana woman is an idiot and really isn't worth the time or effort you're putting into her. And whatever you Solari did to her, is also quite dumb. With that said, shift your focus back to the match,  _please_ ," Heimerdinger huffed.

Upon hearing this, the Yordle felt a sudden feeling of dread, sweat started to drip off from his mustache as the heat in the room suddenly intensified. Leona looked over her shoulder, staring down at the Yordle, her hazel eyes blazing with anger. "Explain."

Heimerdinger did not back away. He tried giving the same intense glare to Leona, which ultimately failed because of his thick spectacles. "She's an idiot because she's supposed to be a cavalier of the moon or something, yes?"

"Yes."

"And you're the sun?"

"Yes," Leona's anger did not dim, her tone evident of her mood. "Your point?"

"That is why the Solari and this Diana woman are dumb. Do you not see the correlation between the sun and the moon? You might as well argue day and night are not cycles of a day."

"The Sun and the Moon are the Sun and the Moon. The Moon is the harbinger of night and of cold, of death and of tranquility of said fate. The Sun is what gives us warmth, light and life," Leona retorted. "That is the Solari teaching. That is what I was taught. The Moon is meant to be shunned, beca-"

The Yordle stared at Leona, silence falling upon them. He eventually spoke, "You must be joking, yes? You can't really be  _that_  dumb, can you?"

Leona tilted her head to one side. A look of confusion crept across her features, overshadowing the fact that she was just insulted.

"...You are." Heimerdinger slapped his forehead, which made his oversized head bob about comically. "Religions and their zealotus ways." He let out an exasperated sigh, and before the insulted Avatar of the Sun could reply, he continued, "The Moon is the reflection of the Sun."

"...Wh..." Leona blinked. She shook her head slowly. "No, it isn't...?"

"Yes, it is. It literally is." Heimerdinger looked around, his mustache twitching as he searched for something to write on. From his tool belt, he withdrew a piece of chalk and waddled over to the darkest wall. Heimerdinger started drawing on it, a series of globes with a small moon, and a ridiculously large circle for what he labeled as the sun. "The point of science, Leona, is not to quash ideas. Oh no, it's the pursuit of truth! The truth of the matter is that the moon is the reflection of the sun at night, it cannot be seen otherwise without the sun!"

"So when the Moon is missing from the night sky, it has not hidden itself away?"

Heimerdinger laughed as he continued drawing up his diagrams. "No no, not at all! It's always there, just like the sun is! As you see, the phases of the m-"

"Faces," Leona corrected. "Faces of the Moon."

Heimerdinger looked over at Leona, and shook his piece of chalk at her. "I'll have you know,  _not_  to interrupt your professor when he is teaching! Basic etiquette! They're called phases, dear! Phases, not faces! That is archaic!"

"Diana used to call them the faces of the moon."

The Yordle let out a condescending grunt. "Oh yes, let's believe someone who knows nothing about astronomy and not the descendent of a race who came onto Runeterra via a spacecraft, he probably knows nothing about star charts or-"

"Star charts?" Leona stared at Heimerdinger, things falling into place. "You mean, for constellations?"

"Well, yes, constellations are used to landmark the night sky-"

"And they don't move, apparently. Right?" Leona pointed upwards, "Like the sun, and the moon?"

Heimerdinger's chubby Yordle face grew redder. "Yessss, but you're interrupting my lesson. Let me-

"Professor Heimerdinger, calm down," a man's voice interrupted. The clunk of boots, the swish of cloth and the bump of metal. Jayce stepped into view and looked at three of them. "Malphite is not in a talkative mood, and I thought you would all be settled by now for the match. Why are you talking about astronomy in the first place?"

"She didn't know the moon was the reflection of the sun!"

Jayce blinked, looked over at Leona, then at Heimerdinger, then back to Leona. "Really? No offense intended, of course, but I just assumed...you are a smart woman, Leona. Very smart. How did you not know that?"

"Because religion can be stupid," Heimerdinger snorted. This was met by a hard stare from Leona, which made him roll his eyes from behind his spectacles. However, he could see Caitlyn peek at him from the corner of her eye, staring at him, staring into his very soul. He could feel the icy grip of fear clutch his heart. She was giving him the, "I will give you Ziggs' special sprinkles cupcake" look.

Leona snapped out of her fit and asked once more, "Professor Heimerdinger, please tell me, does that mean the stars do not move at night?"

"Of course not. We technically move since we spin around, but if you know the proper degrees, longitude and latitude and so forth, you can easily point at them and-"

Leona did not let him finish, a look of realization washed across her face. She stormed towards the lobby door. Heimerdinger jumped up and down angrily, chirping at her, "You're not supposed to leave class! Where are you going?!"

"Getting more notes. I will be back in a few minutes."

Caitlyn called out to Leona, "And bring some more scrap paper, please!"

Leona left the room, leaving Heimerdinger behind, who was aghast with the fact that someone walked out on his lesson. Jayce did his best to hold in his laughter at the sight of the Yordle's tiny fury. Caitlyn's face lit up like the face of a thousand suns with a sudden realization, her hand scribbling wildly over notes with a pencil as she muttered aloud to herself. All the while, the rock beast Malphite sat in the corner of the room, lost in its own thoughts and not really caring about the situation at hand.

Leona returned soon enough, the blue residual aura of Summoner's teleportation magic wafting off her body. Her arms were full of rolled up charts and papers, along with more pencils and fresh, blank notebooks for Caitlyn to use. Heimerdinger tapped at the wall, annoyed. "Can we get back to the lesson at hand,  _now_?"

"Here you are, Caitlyn. Star charts."

Caitlyn looked at Leona, then at the papers, then at the notebook. A small grin elicited across her lips. "What makes you think this is a sensible idea?"

"The stars are stationary."

Heimerdinger waved his hands about, "Hello? Leona? Lesson at hand?"

"Give her a moment, Professor," Jayce whispered. "I think she's realized something.

"And I'm looking in Ancient Solari texts," Caitlyn reminded Leona. "Why would charts of the night sky help?"

"Why would looking in Ancient Solari texts for clues about the Lunari make any sort of sense in the first place?"

Caitlyn tapped the side of her head, her grin grew wider. "Now you're thinking. Why indeed? Was it a Lunari that-"

"These texts are accessible only by the Elder Council or by the Solari. Diana was the daughter of one of the elders which is why she was granted access to them, along with my permission. They thought if she studied the texts long enough, she would give up her heretical beliefs," Leona looked over at the tomes, thoughts clicking about in her head. "The fact that the Lunari were killed, wiped out, one could assume that they would not have gotten their hands on Solari texts too easily, and if they did, they would be scoured for all signs for their heretical writing. These are texts written by the Solari Avatar himself..." Leona stopped for a moment, then corrected herself. " _Her_ self."

"Himself?" Caitlyn motioned to Leona with a wave of her hand to keep talking. "Herself? What?"

"Basic Solari belief: The first Solari Avatar was a man. When he died, and the next Avatar was found, they deemed them, 'Him'. That is why you will see some texts, or hear some Rakkor or Solari speak of the line of avatars as a single person, since it is thought to be his 'spirit' that inhabits their body. Since only the first could call down the Sun, every Solari avatar since has been dubbed his spiritual successor, his will continued, despite what appearance or gender they are." Leona started to untie the strings that held the charts together and unfurling the paper. "We refer to their gender only so we know which incarnation of Avatar we speak of. There was only one other female, my predecessor. Once the heretics were removed, she laid herself to rest soon after since her work was finally done. She prophesied 'his' return would be when he was needed again, in a new body, but same spirit. The cycle of rebirth: no matter how long the night is, the sun always rises."

Leona walked over to Caitlyn's side and pointed at the Solari texts, "When the last Avatar came to be, she had written new excerpts into the Solari texts, about the heretics, and what must be done with them. How much was rewritten, how much was changed, removed, added, I do not know. No one does. Yet knowing that..." She hung her head and sighed. "That only brings up more questions. More uneasiness. More suspicion."

Leona did not notice Heimerdinger at her side, looking at the charts. The Yordle poked at one of the papers with his chalk, "Is...who was this done by?"

"Diana."

"With what?" Even Leona could see his widening, amazed eyes through his thick spectacles. "What instruments did she have?"

Leona silently thought for a few moments before replying. "A telescope, a few rulers, a...a..." She snapped her fingers, trying to think of the word. "A sextant. That is all. Why?"

"These charts..." Tears could be seen streaming out from Heimerdinger's spectacles, despite how implausible such a thing could be. "They're impeccable! I think the University's charts should be compared to these ones! She had the instruments equivalent to what a toddler would have, compared to our own, and she was able to do this? I take back my words, she's a genius!"

Jayce chuckled at Heimerdinger's outburst. He asked the Yordle, "So what about your lesson, Professor?"

"Sh, science is on the march!" Heimerdinger popped himself up next to Caitlyn. "Scoot over!"

Jayce shook his head and rolled his eyes. He walked over to the professor and sheriff then reached over to grab Heimerdinger's piece of chalk. The Yordle did not acknowledge this and was far too engrossed with the papers in front of him. Jayce then walked back to the wall Heimerdinger was writing on. He tapped on its surface while asking, "Would you like me to explain to you the phases of the moon?"

Leona nodded, stopped, and a pained look came across her face. "Can...can you also explain how eclipses work? The Solari think it is the Moon blocking the Sun, and Diana once said that the Sun was crowning the Moon, my belief is a little different, but..."

"That is actually right, in a way. The Moon 'blocking' the Sun." Jayce fixed his coat, and in his slightly haughty tone, he said, "I may not be an expert in the field, but astronomy is a hobby of mine. And I assure you, I'm less strict than the Revered Inventor."

Heimerdinger was lost in the charts, Caitlyn was lost in the books and notes, Malphite dozed off in its corner while Jayce and Leona conversed.

It was three hours later when the Summoners for the match finally decided to check the lobby. Leona had assured them that she needed to get some essential items she forgot back on Mount Targon. After that, however, every time they tried summoning, four of the champions would refuse and ask for "a few more minutes, they were busy."

The Summoners opened the door and saw Leona and Caitlyn huddled over a stack of papers, Heimerdinger with his own stack of charts and his own papers, copying and speaking excitedly to himself about numbers and equations while Jayce was...nowhere to be found.

"Where's Jayce?" One of the robed men asked.

Malphite, in the corner of the room, rumbled as it shifted about and spoke. "He said he was going to the Institute's library in order to retrieve some books, for the Radiant Dawn."

"But the match-"

"It seems to be inconsequential at the moment," the Monolith replied. "Try to break them from their trance."

The Summoners saw the glint in Caitlyn's eyes, the manic pace with which Heimerdinger worked with, and the content of Leona. Once they took a step forward, the three of them stared at the Summoners with a glare that could shatter mountains. They quickly turned around and left the room.

* * *

In the lobby of the Zaunite team, a half machine half man paced to and fro. On his back, a third arm jutted out from his dark blue trench coat, an iron mask bolted to his face which hid any sign of his annoyance. This gave his voice an additional deep, metallic accent on top of his normal one. "Vhen is this match going to start?" His third arm clicked and whirred in annoyance. "I could be literally doing anyting,  _anyting_  more productive than this!"

"Agreed," was the bored reply from a heavily bandaged man.

Without warning, a loud voice boomed. "THE MATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED AND POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, AS PER REQUESTED BY PILTOVER!"

Viktor threw all of his hands up in the air in complete frustration. Some Summoner was most likely going to get a death laser to the face for wasting his time.

* * *

A wickedly curved blade rose in the air, the silvery metal glinting in the sunlight. With a solid swing, it slashed downwards and sliced apart the ivy foliage that was covering the temple's column.

Diana was quietly cleaning and scraping off the moss and ivy that had grown on the Lunari temple over the years of disuse. She used the Lunari Avatar's weapon to reach the heights she could not, despite the makeshift ladder she had created to aid her restoration efforts. She meticulously worked from the break of dawn, stopping only for the bare necessities, until night fell.

By the end of the day, Diana had managed to clean an additional two columns, only a few dozen remained. She wiped the sweat off her brow and picked up a silver colored book, the moonlight emanating from her body giving her the only illumination she needed. She flipped it open and danced her fingers across the pages, various rips and tears seen in the spine as though they were ripped out in a fit of anger.

She stopped at one page. Her eyes narrowed. The page was dated a few years ago. Her fingers traced along the first few lines of the entry. ' _She is sound asleep. She had me worried. The others do not know how to treat her, really. She was stubborn, telling them to go away, I knew better. She needed proper care. I...suppose I never thought about it, but she needed someone else for once. It feels...right, to be with her, even now. To be relied upon. She was coughing again, it looks like they were right, infection in her lungs from the mucus she spat up. She is keeping the medicine down, but she is shivering. Cold to the touch. It's weird, alien even. I have never felt her be so cold. What do I do? What should I do? I-'_

Diana calmly tore the page out and crumpled it up. She threw it up to the sky, moonlight gathering on the palm of her hand. Instead of firing off the burst of lunar magic, the wind picked up and pushed the ball of paper out of her trajectory, sending it flying towards the small lake. Some of the melted snow from the mountain range trickled down here, creating this isolated body of water. Diana paid the piece of paper no more attention, and focused back on her book. She flipped through a few more pages, and reached at the back of the book. A small makeshift pocket held a pencil in place, which she withdrew and started to write with. The diagram of the temple's front spanned over two pages in loving detail, and she marked the columns that she had finished today. Diana tapped the pencil on the paper, thinking of what her next project should be.

The flipping of more pages brought her to a diagram of an altar. It was drawn in multiple angles, a simple rectangular surface with the symbol of the Lunari affixed on its front, but something caught her eye. Diana walked into the deathly quiet temple, the light from the moon illuminating her path. Her footsteps echoed in its empty hallways.

Various relics decorated the interior of the temple. Some rested on stone podiums that were only recently dusted by Diana while others hung off the walls, but they all rested on the left and the right of the walking Lunari avatar, creating a straight line for a procession. Some artifacts ranged from robes and clothing that practitioners of the faithful once used, silvery robes with golden hems, to incense burners to ceremonial weaponry and armor of the Lunari's own praetorian guard. Diana wondered why gold would dare be used in Lunari clothing, even gilded on the armor of the supposed Lunari hoplites, due to its typical association with the sun. She had to remind herself that the Lunari were tricked, destroyed by their own brethren, of course they would have remnants of the half that betrayed them. They were naive.

Diana walked until she was fifteen paces away from the altar she had drawn in her book. The marbled surface helped reflect the moon's light while the emblem of the Lunari, a crescent moon with a full moon resting atop it, was firmly affixed on its front. Diana tapped the paper with her pencil, staring at the metal representation of her belief. Her eyes flicked to the paper, then to the altar, then back to the paper in quiet contemplation. She flipped to the next page and held up the next sketch to the altar, a perfect drawing of the lunar disk.

If someone paid some attention, they would see that said lunar disk had writing engraved on it. It was the Lunari creed. She read through the first stanza that read: " _Ask not the sun why he sets,_ _why he shrouds his light away or why he hides his glowing gaze, when night turns crimson gold to grey."_

She nodded, scratched in her book a bit, then held the page up in front of her. She decided to keep that first stanza after all. Her version was a bit more hamfisted than she liked, but the little adjustments would still be necessary. The drawing had a poem written on it, one she dubbed, "Daylight's End."

In the center of the disk, where the Lunari creed was supposed to be, her writing read:

_Ask not the sun why she sets_

_Why she shrouds her light away_

_Or why she hides her glowing gaze_

_When night turns crimson gold to grey_

_For silent falls the guilty sun_

_As day to dark does turn_

_One simple truth she dare not speak:_

_Her light can only blind and burn_

_No mercy for the guilty_

_Bring down their lying sun_

_Blood so silver black by night_

_Upon their faces pale white_

Diana nodded, tapped the page a few times, then turned around and walked away from the altar. She felt that she had finally completed a much needed update to the Lunari creed, although she could not help but feel that she was missing a final stanza. Maybe a spark of inspiration would help her think of one, but for now, this new creed would work in its place.

The next step would be to actually engrave this new creed onto the Lunari crest, which meant that she would have to smelt a new one. No matter, it was not such a difficult task for her. All the tools she needed were here in this temple, it would take time but it would be worth it in the end. Diana's footsteps echoed throughout the empty temple with every step she took.

Never again would she be tricked, would she be fooled, never again would any of the Lunari fall for the lies of the Solari. With that said, perhaps she should try seeking Leona once more, at the League, to see if the Radiant Dawn had come to a conclusion yet. Regardless of Leona's choice, the opinions, the paths her or others might take, Diana knew her own path. She knew what had to be done, and what the cost would be. Diana still had work to do, not only in regards to her restoration efforts but in the gathering of followers. It was time to find them and gather them. The sifting of the faithful and of the wicked had to be done, by her hand.

Diana slipped the pencil back into the pocket and made her way outside the temple. She seemed to float into the air with her jump, and disappeared in a beam of lunar energy.

She knew what needed to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note, yes, this is Diana's poem from her login music, I did not make this song. This belongs to its rightful creators, Riot Games, and I will not take credit for it.


	6. What I Have Done

_A few years ago_

"Leona!"

Diana strode with long, though dignified steps down the corridor. Her arms were wrapped around a leather bound book which she clutched tightly to her chest, as though she expected it to fly away if she loosened her grip. The young woman could see Leona down the corridor, mere meters away and accompanied by a trio of Elders. She barely managed to catch Leona before one of her scheduled lessons. The Solari Education for the avatar was different than what was reserved for everyone else, since the Solari Avatar was taught by only the best and brightest experts in what was considered the most important fields of education: Ancient and modern linguistics, history, philosophy, etiquette and political science.

However, with what Diana had discovered, this lesson could wait. No, this week could wait for what Diana had discovered. She needed to talk with Leona.  _Now_. It would be just be one of the few lessons that Leona missed in her entire time here. Besides, the words of her friend echoed in her ears, Leona's voice softly complaining about the monotony and the repetition of the lessons:

" _And then the Solari Avatar looked out from the peak of Mount Targon, and saw that yes, sunlight bathed the land as far as the eye could see, and that he had done well rising that morning. For he, like the sun, always rose at...this is the twelfth time I've read this excerpt. How is this valid history again, knowing that he ate two ladles worth of cereal for breakfast? Of course he woke up, if he did not he wouldn't be alive anymore."_

It was more memorization than meaning, and included the most minute of unimportant details, which only gave more credence for why Diana would have to strike now. Sooner, rather than later. Whatever history lesson Leona was about to be subjected to was redundant when Diana was about to make history, with her friend at her side.

"Leona!"

The Elders stopped mid stride along with Leona. The young red haired woman looked back and saw a streak of silvery blonde making her way towards them. The two men scoffed and motioned to their avatar to keep walking. Her response was to take a few steps away from them and towards the source of the noise.

"Diana," Leona continued to move away from the displeased looking Elders. "What is it? Is something the matter?"

"I found it," Diana said with a grin. She smoothed her long hair back, a light flush in her cheeks barely visible. Her voice carried a certain breathlessness in it. To most, many assumptions could be made, but Leona knew better than them: she was excited about whatever she had found. Diana flipped her book open and started to rummage through the pages. Eventually she found the desired page and held it up to the Avatar's eye level.

"Leona, I did it!" she said in the same breathless voice.

Leona's eyes only scanned the first line of writing, which read, ' _Why the sun he questions why not he rests_.' It was only slightly different from the last time Diana had shown Leona her progress, but nevertheless Diana seemed overly excited, her eyes were lit with unabated happiness.

"The connection, it's made. The words, it's a little iffy, and I did supplement a few because really, some of these words can be assumed and snap! All you need to to do i-"

"Diana..." Leona said in a gentle attempt to bring the moon-struck woman back to earth. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the Elders becoming impatient. Diana could not have picked a worse time. Tonight was the test.

"I figured out the coordinates already, we just need to-"

"Diana."

The woman's gray eyes flicked towards Leona and she let out a small laugh. "Sorry, I'm just, excited. I did it, Leo. I did it." She reached over and grabbed Leona's wrist and started to tug on her gently. "Come, we need to go."

Leona allowed herself to take a few steps, pursing her lips as she did so. With every backwards glance she could see the annoyed Elders, making her eyebrows furrow ever more with every look she took.

Diana continued to ramble aloud. "It's just a few kilometers south by southwest, a little closer to the Shurima desert-"

"Diana, tonight is not th-"

"It's just Solari history lessons, I can help you catch up on them later. We can make history  _now_ , Leona."

Leona tried to stop Diana, digging her heels into the stone floor to no avail. She attempted to reason with Diana once more, "Tonight is my test, Diana. To show how far I've developed my skills in control-"

"Leona, why're you dragging behind? Come on, we can get there and back in a day or two if we leave-"

"Diana!" Leona finally snapped, her usually gentle voice now conveying her commanding, yet notably irate tone.

From around the corner a man moved into their path. He was wearing hoplite armor and helmet, and a xiphos sword hung from his hip. He seemed to be daydreaming, not paying much attention to his surroundings when he nearly crashed into the two women. The hoplite, instead of smashing into them, pulled back just in time while issuing a small yelp of surprise. "Gah!"

Diana stared at Leona, shocked beyond words. She had never heard Leona's voice take such a tone with anyone, never mind her of all people. "Y-yes...? Yes, Leona? What's wrong? Do you need to get supplies? Don't worry, I have packed enough for us."

The hoplite looked back and forth between the women, quite confused. "Leo... _Avatar_ , wh-"

"Sh!" Diana spun around and hissed at the man. She had disliked him from the moment she laid eyes on him, the sniveling coward. "This doesn't concern you."

"Diana," Leona reached over, her free hand resting on Diana's hand that gripped her forearm. Her eyes did not meet with her friend's. "I...I need to do this. Tonight is my test."

"You can skip that for now, can't you? Just tell them to schedule it another night, you're the avatar. You did it for all the other tests and it worked. Tell them you'll do it next week and let's go, I already packed your stuff," Diana replied in a low voice, leaning close to Leona's ear so the Elders would not hear what she was saying. "We just need to-"

"Test? Wait,  _the_  test? I don't think the Avatar should-" The hoplite managed to say before he was silenced by another snappy remark from Diana.

"I'm talking to Leona here,  _Molik_. Go away. This doesn't concern you." The look Diana gave Molik silenced him immediately, lest he risk having his limbs removed by the woman.

"Molik, stay," Leona commanded in a firm tone. "Diana, I...How do you know you are right this time?"

"How do I...?" Diana let out a small laugh despite her nervous tone. Her eyes shifted from Leona to the Elders and back to her. A light swallow, and she spoke again, her previous enthusiasm notably waned. "I know because I can  _feel_  it, Leo. You just have to trust me. I know I'm right this time."

Leona closed her eyes. She bowed her head, not meeting Diana's eyes and her tone a shadow of her usual strength. "As opposed to the other times...?"

"I was wrong those times, but I have it right this time!"

"I...Diana. I need to attend this test."

"Leona...?" Her gray eyes were full of disappointment, her voice a former shadow of its initial tone. "You...you trust me, don't you? Leona...Come on..." She tugged on her friend's arm. "Let's go..."

Leona took a deep breath in and opened her eyes. She slowly pulled Diana's hand away as she spoke, "Diana, I trust you. I trust you with all of my heart, but...I have lessons I need to attend."

"Leona...Please..."

"Diana...I..."

"Please. Come on, let's go."

Leona stared at her friend, her mouth silently moving to the words she intended to speak.

"Leona, please!"

* * *

_Present Day_

The dark circles of fatigue seemed to have deepened in the weeks following her "League match" with the Piltoverans. Sword and shield hung limply in her hands, her fingers barely curling enough to hold them in place. Leona was standing underneath a tower, waiting for her partner to return from the Nexus platform. She was in the middle of a League match, she needed to keep her focus on-

A knife flew out, she barely raised her shield in time to block it. Leona could see through her shield's circular opening that a certain red haired assassin was quickly closing the distance. She lowered her stance and lifted her colossal aegis ti shoulder height while lowering her head to present less of a target. She could feel the dull thudding as knives struck and bounced off her shield, a few even managing to whizz past her defense and leave shallow cuts on her exposed sides. Leona could feel the presence of the assassin, hear the light steps of the woman, the gentle crack of a nearby twig.

Now was the time to act.

She thrust her shield forward, pushing off the ground, and the heaviness of the shield, took off in an impressive burst of speed. Leona could feel the impact of the shield colliding with the assassin's face, making the Katarina yell a colorful assortment of curses. Leona slowly backpedaled away while the tower above her buzzed to life and fired a bolt of magical plasma at the unfortunate assassin's face.

Leona lowered her shield and watched as the leather-clad woman leaped back from the tower. Katarina's eyes narrowed, her slender eyebrows as yet unhindered by the ugly bruise now forming over her scarred eye. Leona's partner was still back at their Nexus, and much too far to be able to provide a semblance of help, and with Katarina on the prowl she did not dare leave the shelter of the tower. Her Summoner was whispering in her head to hold out a little longer, reinforcements were on their way.

From the nearby foliage a streak of moonlight ripped out, followed by a low, thunderous knell. At the sight of the light, Leona snapped awake. A surge of memory and emotion ripped through her; she could not allow fatigue to overwhelm her now. Rejuvenated for the time being, Leona out stepped Diana's attack with a quick jump despite the weight of her heavy equipment. Once she landed her feet sank half an inch into the soil, emphasizing how encumbered she was. The low churn of the bell grew louder as a series of explosions, sounding like water being sprayed about by said explosions, started to make their way toward the tower that Leona was sheltering under. Diana stepped out of the foliage, followed by a towering humanoid, clad in an antique diver's suit, with an anchor nearly as large as himself propped against his shoulder. If it were just Katarina, Leona would have been able to easily fend her off, but with the appearance of Diana and Nautilus the tower would not be able to shelter her anymore. She had to make a decision, and she had to make it now.

Leona moved around to the far side of the tower, away from Diana and allowed herself to be within the the attack range of Katarina. She could feel the presence of the moonlit knight as Diana closed the distance between them, but they would not attack, not yet.

The anchor flew and one of its prongs latched itself around the base of Leona's tower. The screech of metal tearing earth up overwhelming the explosions as Nautilus dragged himself closer to Leona. The explosion continued to fire behind her, Leona could smell, even taste the salt water now. Leona could tell that in three breaths she would fall victim to these depth charges. She let out a sharp exhale of breath and swung her sword arm upwards, just in time to block the anchor that would have crushed her skull.. The weight of the weapon, along with the added weight of the Titan's body mass behind the blow, granted the attack a ridiculous momentum. Despite Leona parrying the strike it made Leona's very core shake, flakes of rust from the prong flaking in front of her as the anchor's prong screeched across her blade and away from her. If this attack had landed with its full force, it would have most certainly reduced Leona into a quivering pile of gore. The tower hummed to life as Nautilus' aggression triggered its defense mechanisms, firing a bolt of magical plasma at his helmet.

A solid, unexpected kick from Katarina to Leona's thigh made her buckle, she took a deep breath in and ignored the pain. Leona could see the assassin's knives rise up in preparation for a downward strike. Her eyes flashed with a bright light, making the red haired assassin pull back briefly and wince at the sudden blinding force. Once the light dimmed, Leona was displaced from her original position. She was now a good distance away, and just outside of Diana's peripheral vision.

Leona took a breath in, and braced for impact.

The last explosion fired off underneath Leona's feet, a geyser of saltwater, heat and shrapnel throwing her to the air. The heat was not so much a problem to an avatar of the very sun itself, but her flesh was still only flesh, the shrapnel cutting through the fabric and embedding itself snugly into her muscles and veins.

When Leona landed she could see her three opponents cast a look about for her, temporarily at a loss as to where she was. Diana flicked her head about the field and spotted Leona out of the corner of her eye. The two made eye contact for a brief moment. Diana's stoic expression flickered. The woman jumped towards Leona, disappearing into a stream of moonlight and colliding with the Avatar of the sun. Her curved blade struck the shield, the hook catching the edge. With a quick pull, Diana exposed Leona's side and paused.

Diana's eyes twitched at the sight. Leona looked tired, and not just from the fight. Something was ailing the woman, her eyes showed how unfocused on the fight she was, and Diana could easily see it.

' _She should not be standing, never mind fighting_.'

Diana pushed such thoughts out of her head and attempted to impale Leona on the end of her blade when her arms suddenly felt sluggish, her steady hands shaking and drooping. Her entire body felt as though they had become suddenly encased in lead. Diana recognized it as Summoner's magic at work, and what would have been a grievous wound was harmlessly parried to the side.

Katarina let out another irritated grunt, reached at her belt and made a whipping motion at one of the minions that served Leona's team. The minion's head split apart, the soft, whirring sound of metal cutting the air whistled in her ears. Another minion's face was slashed open, followed by a third minion, than a fourth. The glint of metal sparkled, Karatina's eyes traced the trajectory of her knife to Leona's calf. Once Katarina confirmed the the knife hit her intended target she retreated away from the tower, not wanting to be caught in its sights. She may have lost her quarry, but hopefully Katarina's teammates would be able to rack up a kill for her.

Leona continued to face Diana, shield raised and sword pointed as she backed away with slow, even steps. However, a dull pain in her thigh made her wince every other step, slightly slowing her pace. Nautilus suffered several blasts from the tower despite him slowly making his way towards Leona. The damage he sustained was seen by the cracks and chips in his armor, all punctuated by characteristic scorch marks from the tower.

Leona knew they would pursue her, she had expected as much. With barely any warning, a burst of sunlight shot down from the very heavens themselves, striking the ground like a lightning bolt. Searing heat, a great magnetic pull, it was a solar flare striking the very soil of Runeterra itself, bathing Nautilus and Diana in its blazing fury.

Leona continued her retreat and looked over her shoulder, spotting that Diana was closing the distance between them with quick, long strides. She had almost made it to the secondary tower for defence, but Diana would not be not dissuaded so easily. The patches of burnt flesh on the moonlight knight's face were glossy from the fluid seeping up through the damaged skin, though if she were in any pain she did not acknowledge it, her stoic expression held in place. She swung her curved weapon yet again, aiming to catch the Solari Avatar's unprotected side.

Leona parried the blow and retaliated with a swipe of her own sword and continued to slowly back away. She could still feel the dull pain in her left leg, but she had to ignore that for now. There were more pressing issues at hand though than a leg pain, Leona could see that Nautilus was still trudging towards her. The Titan of the Depths seemed to be quite irked by something, or someone. He lifted one hand and struck the side of his helmet., his deep voice letting out an irritated grunt. If Leona had to weather a guess, Nautilus was being annoyed by his Summoner.

"You look tired," Diana said, breaking the silence between them.

Leona blinked, surprised that her old friend was actually talking to her. She parried another strike from Diana, another step backwards, another throb of dull pain.

"I said you look tired," the moonlit woman repeated herself. "Why are you tired? What have you been doing to make you neglect League matches? To neglect your health?"

"I've...been thinking," Leona's voice was loud enough for Diana to hear, but it did not resemble her tone in the slightest. Not gentle, not soft, not even angry, just tired and lifeless. "About many things."

"Things? You mean matters. Matters such as my offer?"

"Yes."

Diana pulled her blade back, staring at Leona with an incredulous glare. "Truly?"

"Yes, Diana. I have been thinking of such matters."

"Then what is your answer?"

She shook her head, not answering straight away. "I...I need more time. I do not know yet. I'm...I'm not s-"

A burst of moonlight raced towards her. Leona attempted to and dodge, but she was too slow. She braced herself for impact while the arch of light curved and...missed her? Apparently standing still was Leona's best defense this time, the streak of moonlight making a harmless wide arc around her.

"But you  _are_ thinking?" Diana's monotonous voice actually had a different pitch within it this time. She sounded surprised. " _You_  are  _considering_?'

"Diana, what they did was wrong. What  _you_ did, was wrong but...I don't know. I don't know, Diana. I'm trying to understand why."

"I told you why, Leona," she replied with a snort. "You saw  _why_. How is that still an is-"

"I need to see your pain for myself. What you went I put you through. I  _need_ to know. I need to know what the weight of the betrayal truly is, and what it felt like for you to experience such a thing."

Diana swung her curved weapon at Leona, her strike wide and easy to dodge. It was an overly clumsy, sloppy slash, as though she had intentionally missed. Nautilus was close now, the low ring of his diving suit booming with each heavy step. The moonlight lady's eyes flicked skywards for a scant moment, stared at something, and then focused on Leona once more. She took a step back, gave Leona a small nod, turned around and jogged away.

Diana struck Nautilus' arm and jerked her head, silently commanding him to follow her. The titan shrugged her off, muttering something about, "idiotic summoners", and continued his slow run after the Avatar of the Sun who had stopped moving, and now stood in shocked silence at what just took place.

Leona did not notice the shadow that had eclipsed the sunlight shining down on her. As Nautilus drew his anchor back and heaved it forward, she snapped back to reality and readied her shield, ignoring the throbbing sensation in her thigh.

The anchor flew through the air and hooked one of its rusted edges on the rim of her shield. With a violent tug, Leona was dragged towards Nautilus as he launched himself at her, becoming a several hundred pound projectile. Instead of fighting against the force, Leona braced her knees and launched herself at Nautilus, smashing her colossal shield into his body. The vibrations from the impact violently shook her arm. Despite this, Leona could feel the dent her blow made from the ridiculous momentum she had been given, which in turn dazed Nautilus. The large humanoid staggered back, his anchor releasing Leona's shield as he hoisted it over his shoulder once more.

Before either of them could properly react, something to the direct left of Nautilus crashed into the earth.

Dust was thrown up, and the tumbling cracks of broken stone made Leona's eardrums tingle.. Leona raised her shield, blocking any stray debris from striking her. Nautilus was near the epicenter of whatever object had landed, the tremendous force of which had created a sizable crater. The shockwave alone was enough to widen the cracks in the Titan of the Depths' diving suit, and his attention was now completely focused on this new challenger.

Down from the skies and into the fight, out from the plumes of dirt and dust clouds, Pantheon leaped out. His aegis slammed into Nautilus's helmet, caving half of the helmet's visor and handicapping Nautilus' vision.

Leona knew not to dawdle. She flicked her sword towards the titan, a stream of sunlight piercing the dirt clouds that Pantheon had created. The light pierced Nautilus' metal suit with ease, cracking it open. A single flash of light and Leona was now behind Nautilus in a single instantaneous moment, readied for combat. The cracks in his diving suit had sunlight emanating from their outer rims, the darkness of the suit swallowing the rest of her light.

Not even Pantheon's steady eyes could follow what had taken place, Leona was on one side one moment, a flash of light, and then there she was on the other side. It did not matter, she had given the two of them an advantage: to be able to attack both sides of the titan simultaneously.

He pulled his spear arm back, holding his shield up while Nautilus swung his anchor downwards in an attempt to crush the Artisan of War. His runic aegis easily withstood the force of a literal, full ton of dead weight smashing down on the shield. Pantheon's arm did not even quiver from from the blow. He pulled his spear arm back and started to rapidly stab at Nautilus' body, the sunlight that surrounded him quickly exploding in a burst of heat and energy in response to Pantheon's attack.

Leona pushed her sword with all her might into the titan's back, piercing the suit with ease. The cracks in his armor finally gave way. With a little extra force, she pushed the tip of her sword through his stomach, allowing a small spurt of black blood spray out. Pantheon understood why Leona did this, and used improvised his new footing to his advantage.

After using his trademark technique, "Grand Skyfall", his jumping capabilities were limited while he recovered from the strain. He jumped up, used the firmly embedded blade to push himself further upwards and raised his spear.

Nautilus moved to retaliate, but the firm strike of Leona's shield at the back of his legs made him buckle down to his knees.

Once Pantheon was high enough, he stabbed his spear down into the cracked fissures of the diving helmet underneath him. The spear pierced the crack and bored into and past Nautilus' skull, if he even had one. Pantheon buried half the length of his spear into Nautilus' head, into his torso and into where one would assume the titan's stomach was, if he still had one. Pantheon released his spear and landed on the ground. He took five steps back and waited patiently.

With a gentle sway, Nautilus released his anchor, fell forward and was dead before he hit the ground. The announcer on the Fields of Justice called out in a loud voice, "PANTHEON HAS SLAIN NAUTILUS!"

The hoplite knelt down and unceremoniously yanked his spear free. He wiped the blackened blood on the grass while Leona freed her sword from Nautilus' back.

" **You were sloppy,** " he barked in a rough tone at Leona. " **Is something wrong, Leona?** "

Leona brushed some of her hair away from her face, letting out a small sigh. "No. I'm just tired."

Pantheon spun around and glared at his old friend. His burning amber eyes locking with her hazel eyes. " **Then get some more sleep, Leona.** " His tone was flat, to the point, no emotion. He eerily resembled Diana for a brief moment.

"I will, Pantheon. When I can, I will."

The Artisan of War stabbed his spear into the ground, and with his free hand, loosened the straps on his aegis. Pantheon made his way over to Leona and silently grabbed the cloth on her arm. His fingers quickly found a rip made by one of Katarina's knives, the exposed skin showing only a superficial wound. With a quick tug, and before she could protest, he tore off a strip of the fabric. Pantheon then knelt down, carefully reached over and pulled at something in her calf.

Leona let out a soft gasp of pain and looked down to see what Pantheon had done. She saw the back of her leg was caked in mud and a viscous gold liquid. The closer to the wound, the more the liquid resembled molten gold. The further the liquid flowed, the more it started to resemble an average person's blood, a brilliant sanguine. In his hand, he held a small throwing knife covered in blood. Leona's blood did not bleed like other people now that she was the Solari Avatar, or at least, that is what the Elders had told her. "Liquid sunlight" was the term they used in describing her blood.

Pantheon slid his aegis off his arm and started to tie the cloth around her leg. She winced as his improvised tourniquet tightened. Once Pantheon was done, he slipped his shield back on, tightened the straps and got back to his feet.

Leona could only guess that one of Katarina's knives had made its way to her somehow, and had cut deep. It was a miracle she had not died from blood loss.

"Thank you, Pantheon."

He issued a short grunt and nod of his head in response. Pantheon jabbed a finger westward. " **Return to base, heal yourself and buy what you need. I will watch over the huntress until you return.** "

Leona nodded and stepped to the side, allowing blue, magical energy to surround her as her Summoner started the recall spell. Her thoughts were muddled, she was confused about what had just happened, why it happened, but she knew she could not afford to divert her attention too much on these events. Leona could see the words of her notes run through her head. She was trying to think of the next line of writing she had to decipher, and the lines she had already deciphered to reassure herself that they made sense. Leona knew she still had much work left to do.

Pantheon walked down the path, wondering to himself why Diana had not killed Leona. He could see from his vantage point in the skies that if she and Nautilus had stayed they would have overwhelmed Leona. Then with his landing he would have most likely perished as well at their hands. Leona was not her usual self, and possessed a certain sluggishness that had almost cost her life during the battle. Something was off about her, but he knew not what.

It did not matter.

Leona would do what she needed to do, while he? Pantheon gripped his spear tighter. He would do what he needed to do.

* * *

_A few years ago_

The room was pitch dark, curtains were pulled over the windows to block any stray beam of moonlight that could possibly shine into the room save for a single, circular space in the ceiling.

"Are you sure you are able, Avatar?" a voice called out from the darkness.

Leona nodded in response to no one in particular and closed her eyes. She knew her vanguard stood behind her, she could sense that Molik was in their ranks, and she could sense that the Elders sat on their wooden stools scant feet in front of her. She was surrounded on all sides, all eyes were on her. Leona tilted her head back and could feel a warmth build within her body. From the pit of her stomach, it started to spread within her like a hungry flame.

She was in control.

The burning sensation spread out to her chest, down her legs and up her arms. She could feel it fill her throat.

Leona was in control.

She could hear people gasp and move, but she was not focused on them, she had more pressing matters at hand. Within minutes the burning sensation had now spread throughout her entire body.

Leona opened her eyes and looked at the audience that had gathered. She could see them clearly now. The room had grown unbearably bright for everyone, save for her. She could see the Elders shielding their eyes. When she looked over her shoulder, her Vanguard were mimicking the Elders, except using their shields to better shield themselves from the blinding light. She looked upwards and saw the minute opening in the roof. With a slight exertion of will, a burst of sunlight suddenly cascaded down onto her, her golden form now swirling with bright reds, oranges, whites and blues.

The burning sensation was gone, and the calming sensation of warmth replaced it. She was in complete control.

"Leave the room," she commanded. "Go outside the temple. I will show you the full extent of my control."

Anyone with exposed skin could be seen tanning from her mere presence. The heat she was exuding was making everyone sweat buckets. The stone around her feet was starting to melt into a gooey mass, bearing a strong resemblance to molten glass. They listened to her command and quickly left the room. Her Vanguard looked at one another, not sure if they should follow her command or stay just in case. Leona's blazing presence was already unbearable. She slowly looked over at them, her hazel eyes replaced by radiant light burning from them. Despite all of this, her voice still carried its trademark gentleness. "Follow them. Please."

The men and women of the Solari Vanguard reluctantly followed her command, not even Molik protested, and left the room quickly.

The moment everyone had left, Leona closed her eyes and felt for the presence of light. She could feel moonbeams shine upon the roof of the temple, she could literally feel them. Could she perhaps use them to her advantage? She clenched her fingers into tight fists. By the time her body disappeared she had already reappeared atop the temple.

She still was in control.

Outside the temple, the Elders, the Solari citizens, and her Vanguard gathered, looking up at the night sky. They could all see a brilliant source of light shining out from every crevice of the Solari temple. A brilliant burst of light exploded, a wave of heat washed over them and the resulting light forced everyone to look away.

When they looked once more, no one could believe their eyes: it was daylight in the dead of night. When the sun was supposed to be hidden, when the horrid moon was supposed to be taunting the night, there was the sun, standing atop their very own temple and providing light and warmth.

For miles on end, Leona's light could be seen for the ten full minutes she was able to channel the sun. As far as the light's rays could reach, Leona could see through them.

Leona could see the Solari, though covering their eyes, completely amazed at the sight. She could see the Rakkor wake up from their slumber and stumble outside, only to be presented with this source of light.

Leona could see Pantheon's house, and even his face as the helmeted warrior was trying to make his way through the door despite his grogginess. The Rakkor children, the ones who slept in the woods as per their training, tossed and turned, the makeshift daylight rousing them and making them gawk in awe.

Leona could see all of Demacia, all of its people waking up, unsure of what was going on. Most shocked, some panicking, a few screaming about the end of the world, but nonetheless all were amazed.

She could even see the Institute of War, the Summoners scrambling in confusion to such an event. They were running to and fro, unsure how such a thing like day in the middle of night could be.

And last but not least, Leona saw Diana, who was staring up at the sky and covering her eyes. Diana was shocked, frightened, her lips moving and conveying her despair. She was asking, pleading for her moon. Where was her moon? Leona remembered something her friend said one time one time: In a very, very rare event, for a short time during the day, the sun would crown the moon and give the due respect it deserved. The sun would remind the world that moon is not meant to be abhorred, but to be respected, since it was crowned by the sun itself.

What then, was this? What had Leona done? Was she mocking Diana?

Diana fell to the ground,twisting her head away from the sky. She could not look up at her night sky, it was too bright, far too bright. Why could she could not look up at her night sky? Where was her moon? Where were her stars? This was the time for the night, not for the day. What atrocity was this? Who would do such a thing? Leona. Only Leona could, only she had the power to do this. But why, why would Leona do this to her? Why-

In a single moment all the light disappeared. Leona was violently shaking, sweat dripping down her forehead. She had pushed herself too far. There was no feasible way for her to descend from the temple, and so with one last burst of power, she slipped through the hole in the ceiling in a beam of brilliant light.

Leona hobbled over to one of the stools and started to breath heavily. It was a huge exertion on her part, and she sustained it for far longer than she had intended it to be. Nevertheless, she had made her point: she was able to control her power. She would be named the Solari avatar, she would be granted her true position in their society, but at what price?

Leona clutched her face, her shoulders quaking. She eventually spoke to no one in particular, asking a simple question aloud. "What...What have I done?"

"Your duty, Avatar," a voice replied.

Some of the Elders were already in the room and sitting around her. She had not noticed them. The man who had replied to her, she remembered his face, his voice: They belonged to Diana's father. "What is wrong, Avatar? Why do you look upset?"

Leona rubbed her face. She was not sure how to explain herself.

The Elder's voice carried a certain firmness, but it had a warmth to it as well. A warmth that he never showed his own daughter. "Avatar, are you distressed because of Diana?"

"I...I didn't...She trusted me. And I broke it."

"Avatar, listen to me. Sometimes, things have to be broken. No one knows Diana better than I do," he grunted. "She has always,  _always_ , been a dreamer. You suffered her dreams for how long? You have done so much for her, she was completely lost without you. With your presence, your influence, she started to take her studies seriously, she began to attend our sermons, her quality of life has improved because of you. But Leona, what was it that she was asking of you?"

"To trust her."

"And how cruel would it be of you to continue entertaining her ridiculous notions? How much more can you show your trust of her, when she asks you to trust the impossible? What will she ask you to do, when all of your trust has proven to create nothing? You trusted her, Diana failed, and you continue to trust her. That is self-destructive, Avatar." He quickly realized the tone he had took and coughed to stop himself.

Leona looked up at the man, his cold eyes staring back at her. She said nothing yet, and waited for him to continue speaking.

"If I may request permission to continue, Avatar?"

"You may," she answered in a barely audible voice.

"She was asking you to throw away everything, and for what? Tonight was the night, Avatar, not tomorrow, not yesterday. You had to prove the culmination of your knowledge _tonight_. You are selfless, and that is a trait you should appreciate, but you need to put your well being ahead of others from now on. You and I both know that Diana will go...wherever she goes, and when she returns she'll come back empty handed per usual. You must be ready to comfort her, and to help guide her once again, but that is all. You can't entertain her ridiculous notions anymore. You will have more duties coming very soon. The Rakkor have sent their champion to participate in the League of Legends, and we are considering having you, the Solari Avatar, represent us. With that said, you will have to leave our mountain, leaving her to her own devices on a more frequent basis."

He let out a light sigh and bobbed his head about. "With all due respect, Avatar, you are not Diana's friend. She is not your friend. You gave her all of your trust, and it has surmounted to nothing, yet Diana demands more from you. What has Diana done in return for you, for all of the trust she has asked of you to place in her? I know for a fact, nothing nearly equivalent. You are the Avatar, you represent the Solari as a whole. You are our face and our voice. You are no longer just Leona, you ceased being Leona the moment you took on the mantle of the Avatar. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Will you choose her over all of your people? Will you entertain the whims of this one girl, over the needs of everyone else?"

Leona bowed her head. She allowed the words to sink in. Diana had failed every other time she claimed she found the temple, what would make this time any different? That was why she had not gone with her, that was why Leona stood her ground tonight.

He...he was right, in a way.

Despite shaking her head, the pangs of guilt still churned within Leona. She felt drained of all energy, not just from her display, but from the turbulent emotions in her gut.

"Will you join the League, Avatar? Our champion of the Sun, to become a champion of the League, to represent us and our interests in the League? To represent our people, to spread your message, to spread our message for all to hear and see?"

Leona looked up at Diana's father and replied in a solemn voice. "I will consider it. I will need some time to think it over, but I believe we both know the choice I will make."

He nodded and gave Leona a soft smile. "I understand. You really are a gentle soul. How I wish you could have been my daughter."

Leona's face did not betray the violent convulsions in her stomach or the sudden desire to vomit from the growing, sickening feeling within her.

* * *

_Present Day_

The door to Diana's room swung open. Leona was still clad in her full Solari regalia. Her sword slid out of her hand and clattered onto the floor. She reached over and unstrapped the leather wrapped around her left arm, which helped brace her shield against her forearm. Once undone, she rested the shield against the wall. Leona made her way to the desk yet again, and grabbed one of the various tomes. She opened a drawer, took out a leather bound journal and slapped it onto the desk. Her eyes darted to and fro, searching for something she required.

"Pen...pen...where did I put the pen...?"

Leona's eyes suddenly started to scan the star chart she had pinned to the wall above the desk, completely losing her train of thought. She had moved the mirror that was originally there and replaced it with the charts. In fact, all the walls were now covered with star charts, tacked in place with small pins. Leona got up from her seat, tapping the side of her head in sudden realization of what she had originally been looking for. She started her search anew while murmuring aloud about her pen and where it could be.

"Leona?"

A voice interrupted her thoughts and stopped her search. Leona was on the floor, looking under her desk. She looked up and saw Molik standing at the door, tray of food in hand. His tone was wary, unsure of the scene he had walked into. "What are you doing?"

"My pen. I can't find it."

Molik carefully made his over to her desk and started to lower the tray of food on top of one of the piles of books.

"Not there!" she yelled, freezing Molik in place.

"...Uh...Where can I put it then?" He looked around, his confusion only becoming more evident on his face. "There's not much space for me to work with, Leona."

"Put it on the floor," she commanded in a tepid tone. "I will get to it after I find this pen."

Molik reached over at the desk and picked up the writing instrument she was looking for on the floor on her hands and knees, murmuring the entire time. "Leona? It's right here."

She looked up at Molik, blinked a few times as though his words needed time to sink in, and let out a small laugh. "Ah ha ha, I must have missed it."

"Leona..." His voice clearly conveyed his concern. He placed the pen on the tray and sat the food down in front of her. It was a simple plate of salad and roast chicken breast, with a glass of cold water.

Leona rolled over and sat on her backside. She rubbed her face tiredly. Fatigue, frustration, and apparently absent mindedness were the defining features in her eyes and face now. Leona hardly resembled the image of one who would call themselves the Solari Avatar.

"So," Molik decided to try and strike up some light conversation. "How did the League match go?"

"The match ended with Demacia's victory. Bilgewater will have to compensate for the goods they had stolen via gold or the return of the goods themselves," she replied in a nearly monotonous voice. No happiness, no pleasure, no joy, she conveyed nothing but fatigue in her tone.

"Did you eat lunch?"

"No," Leona admitted with a half sigh. "I didn't have the time."

Molik scratched the side of his head and twitched his shoulders. "Are you going on the Rakkor warrior diet?" he asked in a light tone, his attempt at making a dumb joke. "I should load you up on more chicken then. Can't have you wasting away now, eh?"

No smile. Leona only nodded her head. She picked up her utensils and started to cut her chicken into bite size pieces.

Molik scratched his neck, unsure how to deal with the silence, and looked about the room. He finally broke it, asking the inevitable question he always asked. "So, are you getting anywhere with all of this...stuff?"

"Molik?"

"Yeah, Leona?"

"Do you have any regrets?" she asked while staring absentmindedly at her food.

Molik bowed his head, his helmet angling itself forward while he started to mumble nonsense. His voice gained some strength after a few moments. "Ah...uh...yeah, I suppose? I mean, I regret not bringing your food qui-"

"Why don't you take your helmet off, Molik?" Leona's eyes rose up and locked with his. "It's only you and me. Why don't you take your helmet off?"

"Ah...What? Leona?" he said while laughing. "It's part of Vanguard uniform, in the presence of the Solari Avatar we have to-"

"Take your helmet off," she snapped.

Molik shook his head while replying in a shaky tone, "Leona, I can't-"

"Do not make me pull rank, Molik. Take your helmet off." Her brow furrowed, she was glaring at him, the bags under her eyes making her look more intimidating than she intended to.

Molik slowly reached at the base of his helmet and lifted it off his head. A man with dark rings under his eyes, mimicking Leona's own, was revealed. He had short, dark hair and worried blue eyes.

"Do you have any regrets, Molik?"

"I...yeah, course I do," he finally, and reluctantly, admitted.

Leona grabbed the tray and slid it away, creating space between the two. She pushed herself forward and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "I do too. Molik, I do too. You don't need to do this, Molik. You don't need to push yourself-"

"And you don't need to either," he replied. His hands trembled as he timidly rested them on her back, returning her embrace. "You don't need to do this for her, not for anyone. Leona, you're a saint. You don't need to subject yourself to this punishment."

"Regardless of your opinion, Molik, I need to do this because I care about her. Do you understand?" Leona released Molik and shuffled back to her side of the room, staring at him the entire time. "Just like how much I may protest, how much I may beg you to not have any regrets, you still have them. You still came for me, you still left the Rakkor behind and joined the Solari Vanguard because you feel as though you need to make up for what happened. Molik, you have nothing to regret, you have no duty to me, I command you to go back to the Rakkor."

He sat there, completely stunned at her. His lips moved in a feeble attempt to speak, to no avail.

"You won't, will you?"

"I..." he squeaked out. Molik stared at Leona, his eyes welling with tears. "I...don't make me, Leona. Please don't."

She pointed at him, her tone sharp. "I am sorry Molik, I will not ask you if you stop asking me how I am doing with all of this ' _stuff_ ', only to lead into your asking me to stop my work. I should not make such an assumption, and I would not normally, but you have repeated these same actions since the  _very_  beginning. I will decipher her notes, I will find the temple, and I will show Diana that I care about her and I will sway her away from her path. I will not abandon her, not again. The moment you can let go of me is the moment I can let go of Diana. Do you understand, Molik?"

Molik went quiet. He looked Leona in her eyes, his welled tears now dribbling down his face. His skin started to become pale. "I...I see..."

"Do you understand?"

"Y-yeah...Yes. I do."

Leona reached over and started to wipe away his tears with the back of her hand. "Molik, I didn't mean to be so harsh, but I need your support. I need you to trust me, please."

"I...I am, Leona. I am here for you."

"Then stop trying to dissuade me, Molik. I need to do this, no matter what. I need your support, not your criticism. I know what I am doing is foolish, but I still need to do it. For her sake, I need to."

Molik nodded and stood up, breaking Leona's contact. He slipped his helmet on and gave her a quick salute. "Please eat your dinner, Leona. I will be back on an hourly schedule to assure that you are not overworking yourself."

She smiled back at him, nodding in acknowledgement of his salute. "Thank you, Molik. At ease."

He marched towards the door and walked out of the room. After he was a safe distance, Molik's body started to tremble. His voice was shaky in pitch. "She's...she's going to kill herself over Diana. She's killing herself. I..." He balled his hands into fists. "I can't. I can't allow that. I  _won't_  allow that. Leona doesn't deserve to suffer. She doesn't deserve this."

Molik marched down the hallway, his shaky voice now resolute. "I will not allow this. I will protect her. Damn it. Damn it all..."


	7. Truth We Dare Speak

An old, plump woman was slowly walking down the gravel road, her cane clicking in front of her after every two steps she took. It was late in the night, the crescent moon's shine providing the only light source in the dark. Her wrinkled features, her withered arms, her long, protruding warty nose, her ragged clothing, she looked beyond ancient. The old woman reached up underneath her hood and smoothed back her silvery hair. One of her eyes rolled about uselessly, unable to focus, while her other eye looked up at the night sky.

She mumbled in a low voice, barely audible to herself, "...Ask not the sun why he sets, why he shrouds his light away..." and made several hand gestures across her face and her chest.

"Crone," a cold voice called out from the woman's side.

The old lady turned her head and stared at the source of the voice. Diana stood at the outer fringes of the gravel path, her curved blade held at rest by her side, but ready for any danger regardless. "What are you doing out here?"

"Mm? Wha's tha', dearie?" The old woman shuffled closer to Diana, tilting her head. "I kent hear y'very well. Speak up, pleese."

Diana's brow furrowed, her unamused glare drilling into the woman's geriatric eyes. "What are you doing out here?"

"I can ask y'th'same thin', lass," the woman replied with a chuckle. "I'm walkin' home, is all."

Diana's eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. "Home?" she asked in a low voice.

"Mhm. Home."

"Allow me to accompany you then," the moonlight knight replied. "I have some business I must attend to first, then I shall take you home."

The old lady shook her head and waggled a finger at Diana in protest. "Oh no no, no need lass. I'm perfec'ly capable o' takin' care o'mese-"

"I insist," Diana replied in a sharp, unrelenting tone.

"Well, tha's very kindly o'ye, but I'm an old woman. I would only slow y' d-"

Before the old woman could say anything more, Diana closed the distance between them and clapped the woman's shoulder and in a single moment the both of them transformed into a beam of moonlight.

By the time the old lady blinked, she was in a completely new were at a crossroad now. She looked about, trying to find any tell as to where they were. The moment the old woman spotted the signpost she quickly recognized their location. This was more than sixty kilometers away from where she was. If she were surprised, the old lady did not show it, a wrinkled yet serene expression on her face.

Diana released the woman's shoulder and stared at a wagon rumbling down the dirt road. Her eyes carefully watched as the donkeys slowed from their trotting pace to a complete stop. The man looked nervous, even his smile seemed forced rather than out of common courtesy.

"G-greetings to you, Lady of the Moon."

Diana gave him a slight nod, acknowledging his greeting. "Any trouble?"

"N-no ma'am, bandits haven't bothered us since last time."

"Any news of others being harassed?"

The man shook his head, clicking his tongue in quiet contemplation. "No...not really, not for me. There are some rumors though..."

"Rumors? Tell me," Diana commanded in an icy tone.

"Ah..." The man was visibly nervous, sweat already beading down his face despite it being a cool night. "There are some rumors, of some Demacian officers taking a toll..."

"A toll?" Diana took a step forward, her tone not wavering, her eyes boring into his. "There are no tolls on these roads."

"W-well, I said it's a rumor. I'm not really sure, 'cuz I haven't been down to Demacia for some time now."

Diana raised her free hand to silence him. Once he was quiet, she asked, "Which way?"

"Ah, it's route forty seven ma'am, southwestwards."

The moonlight knight gave the man a quick nod and shook the old woman's shoulder. The old lady had been quiet the entire time, watching the interaction between these two people with little to no curiosity, seemingly asleep. She snapped awake from the harsh shaking and let out a soft yawn to convey her fatigue and boredom.

"M...Milady?"

Diana had already started walking in the general direction he had given her. She looked back and stared at him, waiting for him to say something.

"Th-thank you for your concern," he said in a frightened voice. "Would, would you like some food?"

She gave him another nod. The man reached into the back of his wagon and shook at the covers. A young girl popped into view from the depths of the wagon. The moment she saw Diana she ducked back under the covers of the wagon while emitting a small, scared squeak.

"Sam, girl, c'mon. The usual for her."

The man waited while the covers shook to and fro, the little girl shuffling through the wagon. Diana let out an exasperated snort which made the donkeys bray loudly, rearing in fear while the man nearly jumped out of his skin.

Two small hands poked out from the cover, holding a loaf of bread and several sticks of thin, cured pepperettes. The man reached down, grabbed them while thanking his daughter and turned to regard Diana once more.

Instead of being down the road, Diana was now directly in front of him, just three feet away with a hand turned upwards and waited for him. The man quickly placed the bread on her palm in a practiced fashion.

She took the bread, bit into it and held her palm out again, waiting for the smoked meat. The man placed the pepperettes on her outstretched palm and gave her another nervous smile.

Diana took a step back, gave him a half bow, and disappeared in a streak of light, the light curving slightly in trajectory before disappearing. The man finally started to breathe again. Even his donkeys visibly relaxed, their nervous tremors gone in an instant. Something was off about the scene though. Who was that old woman, how did she get here, and where had she disappeared to?

When Diana reappeared, the hilt of her weapon was touching the old lady's shoulder. Diana stabbed her weapon into the ground and quietly munched on the bread she was given, using her now free hand to help control the rate of consumption.

The old woman looked around, perplexed about their current location. She did not recognize it. She saw the thick woods that surrounded them, the moonlight knight apparently only stopping their travel once they reached a glade where the moon shone down on them uninhibited by any trees.

"This isn't home..." the old lady sighed. "What're y'tryin' t-"

A cold glare from Diana silenced the woman. The old lady finally let out a youthful laugh and smoothed her hair back. "So how long did y'know fer, lass?"

"The moment I saw you," Diana affirmed. She swallowed the last piece of bread and started to eat the pepperettes. She paused her meal for a moment and grunted at the old woman, "If you stop your deceit now, I will not kill you where you stand."

The old woman's thin, withered lips cracked into a toothless grin. She reached up and slipped the hood off her head, revealing short, luscious black hair. Her features melted away, her wrinkles replaced by fair skin, her rags withdrawing and snaking about her into the finest of purple and golden silks. The fat on her plump body sucked back and replaced by sensuous curves. The soft jingling of metal could be heard as golden jewelry appeared from the recesses of her silk robes. The woman rapped her cane on the ground, transforming the wooden tool a long, golden staff with three crystals suspended at its head by an invisible force.

"You have been walking the roads for the past few weeks, your agents even longer," Diana stated. She swallowed the last of the pepperettes and grabbed her crescent blade. The moonlit knight raised her weapon and pointed it at the Deceiver's throat. "Why?"

"Quid pro quo," LeBlanc chirped in response. Her silken voice mirrored the rest of her stately demeanor. "Meaning what for what, dear. If you are not comfortable with one of my inquiries you may of course, request for a change in question. No need to pry when we can talk like two,  _civilized_ beings, yes?"

Diana kept her weapon steady at the Deceiver's neck, and nodded in response. "The moment you lie, you die. Now answer my question."

"Fair enough. It is because you interest me," LeBlanc admitted. The Deceiver's grin widened, revealing her perfect teeth, as she asked in a coquettish tone, "Are you going to kill the Demacians?"

"If what the man said is true, then the righteous will be sifted from the wicked," Diana replied in her cold tone. "No one and nothing is exempt from this. Demacians, Noxians, Rakkor, Solari, Piltoverans, the heavens themselves,  _no one_  and  _nothing_."

The woman of the moon's eyes narrowed, her voice lowered in volume and became more threatening. "What do you want from me?"

"I want what you wanted, darling," LeBlanc cooed. She moved to take a step forward, but was stopped by the tip of Diana's blade pressing against her throat. "Knowledge." The sultry woman's grin did not dissipate despite being a breath away from having her throat slit. "My turn: Do you want to make a deal?"

Diana's eyebrow rose, betraying the feeling of surprise on her otherwise stoic demeanor. She stared at LeBlanc, trying to comprehend the weight of the words that the Deceiver had spoken. "Why would you try to make a deal with the very apotheosis of the Moon, Deceiver? Your lies will not work on me."

"Yet!" LeBlanc reached up at Diana's weapon, and pushed it away from her neck with her index finger. "You're confused because you can sense that I, apparently surprising to you, have not lied. Really, I'd gain nothing by lying to you now. I do want to make a deal with you, and why? Because you can say that I am  _quite_  the fan of the moon, and all of its splendor, all of its meaning, and all of its existence, really."

The Deceiver tapped at her own chest playfully, still grinning, and asked, "Why did you take this long to confront me, if you apparently knew it was me this entire time?"

"I had more important business to attend to than whatever your machinations are." Diana drew her weapon back and planted its tip into the ground in front of her. "Travelers have almost made it to the Demacians. You have another five minutes before I take my leave."

"You can see them?" the Deceiver asked in a light tone, seemingly unaware that she asked a question out of turn.

Diana nodded her head while replying, "I can. Two questions for me."

A light, sarcastic gasp escaped the Deceiver's lips. She then chuckled and asked, "You're quite ruthless, aren't you?"

"Yes. Three questions now."

LeBlanc burst out into a fit of laughter, each laugh sounding like the gentle cascade of crystal shards raining down. "Very well! Ask your questions, ma maîtresse de la lune, I am not afraid."

Diana's eyes flicked about the Noxian woman's face and body, trying to see any chink in her perfect posture or demeanor that would betray her. Her eyes did not lie, no nervous twitches, not even a tremble in her finger. For all intents and purposes, she was telling the truth and was completely at ease, but one could not belay suspicion when speaking with a woman titled, "The Deceiver".

Diana raised her free hand up and pointed at LeBlanc, her tone not changing from its iciness. "What interest can  _you_ have with the Moon, what is this deal you wish to make with me, and what makes you think that I would ever trust you?"

The Deceiver looked up at the night sky, let out a sharp puff of breath and locked her purple eyes with Diana once more. Her voice shifted ever so slightly while she asked, "Let me answer the first and third question in one swoop. Have you ever looked up at the moon and felt reassured of yourself?"

Diana's arm twitched. The tone, it was familiar. It was warm. Did she...? No. That's impossible, this woman could not know  _that_ tone of voice. It was mere coincidence.

"You look up," LeBlanc continued, her voice not changing its gentle, warm tonation. "And you feel a certain amount of serenity. You look up, and see something that is there at night. There's this wonderful light, shining down on us, reassuring us, with all of its little lights, similar to a grand orchestra that no one can hear but all can see...yet it is only at night! The sun, it's bright, it's burning, it's annoying and hot. It's needed for life, yes, but what is the cost of life if there are those stupid enough to try and silence the truth of a naturally occurring event: Night?"

The Deceiver made a quick jab at the ground with her staff, ripping out a small tuft of grass and dirt. "This right here? You can see it here now, and in a few hours, it will still be there despite being morning. It's just day, and night. Morning, evening. It's the passage of time itself. Without one, the other cannot exist. The cycle needs to be in continuous motion in order to be a cycle, yes? But the clever thing about the cycle, is the moon. The moon, as you know, is the only one that can be absent during these cycles despite their continuation! Not hidden by clouds, not struck out of existence, nothing of that sort! It can simply... _disappear_ , from view. Always there, but not seen. The sun sets, the moon rises, but sometimes, when the moon is supposed to rise, it is absent for days. Why do I mention this?"

LeBlanc took a step towards Diana, her voice full of rosy warmth as she crooned, "How harrowing a feeling is it? How unsettling for people such as you, and me? And why? because the moon, unlike that stuffy, egotistical sun, cares for all. Instead of screaming at others to look at it, look at its radiance and then be burned for not being worthy to stare at such a brilliant orb, what praise does the moon receive? None. It is instead abhorred. Disliked, nay, despised!I have heard of your crusade, Diana, and I wish to give you my support because I know how it is to be in love."

Diana's cold glare into LeBlanc's eyes did not waver, her expression refusing to show any form of emotion or tell aside from a single, solitary twitch in her cheek.

"In love with an idea, a concept: That wrongs  _should_ be righted, that the balance should be restored, that everything that once was should be again," the Deceiver tittered. "As such, I wish to throw in my support for your cause, for the Lunari, in memory of all of those who were persecuted and oppressed horrendously so."

LeBlanc now stood a breath away from Diana, the only thing separating the two women was the crescent weapon stuck in the ground, the distance of half a foot in front of the moonlight knight. "And how do you know you can trust me? Because you haven't killed me yet, dear. You haven't struck me or done any sort of ridiculous action. You want to know why I am, for all intensive purposes, telling the truth to you. I could be lying, but then...You'd know, wouldn't you?" She grinned and brushed a few stray bangs away from her face. "Not really the point. Now, to answer your second question, dear: What deal do I wish to make?"

LeBlanc stretched her hand out and held it at stomach level, as though she were expected a handshake. "Simple, I will give you my support. I will bring you followers, soldiers, whatever you need to help expand, grow and stabilize your religion. In exchange, you will give me knowledge. I want to know how you are able to do what you do, your abilities and capabilities with the moon's strength, just general knowledge, and I would like to visit your place of worship."

Diana's eyes flicked downwards, then focused on LeBlanc once again. "No. Too many discrepancies. Too many factors that need to be considered. I will not be tricked. No d-"

"Up up up!" LeBlanc pressed a finger against Diana's lips. Her skin, the moonlight lady could not ignore how soft, how smooth it was. They belonged to a doll, not to a hard working woman.

A murderous glare from Diana made LeBlanc take a step back and reach at the air. She gave it a quick tug, miming the action of pulling a blind down, and a page of parchment materialized. LeBlanc held the parchment out to Diana. "Here is a map of some of the main intersections of Noxian roads, and here are the marked areas of banditry and whatever misdeeds happen on these roads. If any Noxian militia wish to stop you, you may do as you wish without fear of retribution. Happy hunting, dear. I believe I have a final question, before I must depart: Will you think about my offer?"

Diana stared at the paper before her. LeBlanc waved it up and down, beckoning her to accept the map. "Take it, as a gift. No strings attached, not even an answer is needed for its payment."

Diana reached out and took the parchment from LeBlanc. She stared at the map, and then looked up at LeBlanc. With a quick nod she said, "I will think about your offer."

"Excellent!" LeBlanc clapped her hands together excitedly. "If you wish to find me, ask for my tea room within the Institute. I will reserve a seat specially for you. Tah tah for now, darling. I do believe you have some prior engagement to attend to, yes?"

Diana folded the parchment up and stuffed it down the neckline of her armor. She grabbed her weapon, leaped into the air and transformed into a ray of moonlight.

LeBlanc watched the woman disappear, and started to hum aloud to herself, "The rivers flow down her ravine, all will see the truth serene." She let out a soft laugh, and within three steps she disappeared as well.

* * *

_A few years ago_

Diana was bundled up in her bed. She had not taken off her dirty clothing from her expedition. Her mud-caked boots had soiled her clean sheets, she could feel the gritty sand in her hair, but her pillow was soaked with her tears. She was upset, beyond upset. Leona had not come, and to add salt to the wound, there was daylight during the moon's hours. During the time of her night, the time of her solace and her peace, the sun was there. Leona was laughing at her. She knew this, she could almost feel the mocking tone of all the Solari ringing in her ears.

Diana touched her eyes, the stinging pain in her eyes reminding her of that night. Even Leona mocked her that very night. It was foolish of her, so very foolish of her to think that Leona was different. She was just like the others.

And yet...that was not the worst of it.

Despite the pangs of betrayal, despite the tears she had shed, the worst of it was that she, Diana, did not find the temple. She had failed yet again. Leona  _was_ right to not trust her. Leona  _was_  right to not follow her that night. Leona, despite her actions, proved that she was in the right, while Diana?

Diana failed.

Her fingers bunched her bedsheets up into a tight bundle. What now? What should she do now? She had no one left. No one believed in her. No one trusted her. No one cared about h-

A soft knock rapped on her door, interrupting the young woman's thoughts.

"Go away," Diana barked in a raspy voice. People had been trying to see her for two days now, trying to get her to eat, to drink water, but she had no reason to. They didn't care if Diana died, they were only following orders, she overheard them whine and complain about having to bring the, "Stupid one's food."

If she died now, who would care?

More knocks on the door.

"I said go away," she croaked.

"Diana?"

Leona. It was Leona's voice. What did that traitor want?

"Diana? It's me. Can I-"

A fit of coughs interrupted her mid-speech. Diana rolled out of her bed and was on her feet.

"Can I come in?"

Diana allowed the request to hang in the air for a few minutes before she bothered to reply. "No."

"Can I talk?"

Diana rolled her eyes, exasperated and angry. "I don't want to talk,  _Leona_. Go away."

"You don't have to say anything. I just want t-"

Another fit of coughs. Why was she coughing so much?

"I just want to talk. You don't have to say anything. Can you listen?"

"...Go for it."

Diana could hear a soft thump on the door. She assumed Leona was pressing her head against the wooden frame.

"I've been granted the Solari Regalia, Diana. I did it."

Diana rolled her eyes and silently mock clapped her hands. Hurray, she did it.

"And I will be leaving soon."

Wait, she was going to do what now?

"I'm going to be leaving soon, for the League. I need to represent the people,  _our_  people. That means I will be leaving you. For what it's worth, Diana...I'm so sorry-"

Before Leona could say another word, Diana flew out of her bed and soared over to the door. Her hands slammed against the door, sending out a loud echoing boom. Diana's fingers stung, she could feel her bones vibrate from the impact. "You're not sorry," Diana spat "You're not sorry. You're fine with going. You're fine with leaving me. Just say it. I don't matter, do I? You got what you wanted."

"I-"

"Congratulations, Leona," Diana said, her voice raised in volume and in anger. "You did it. You got it all. Are you not happy? Are you not here to gloat? Go ahead, gloat."

No response. Diana's eyes welled with tears.

"Gloat." She drew her fist back and struck the door, her knuckle split open and splattered the wood with blood. "Gloat, damn you, gloat."

Diana could hear the shallow breaths of Leona, interrupted by coughs and hiccups. "Diana...I'm s-"

"No!" Diana struck the door again, more blood splattered. She was yelling now, her tears freely flowing down her face. "Stop it! Stop lying! You're not sorry! You're n-!"

"I'm selfish."

Diana drew back, shocked. She pressed her ear against the door and asked in a surprised tone, "What?" She reached up at her face with her good hand, wiping away the moisture.

"I'm selfish. I..." Leona let out a sob. "I...I couldn't. I'm not..."

"Leona, stop stuttering."

"I could not...I'm not strong enough."

Diana let out a loud, dismissive snort. "You? You're not strong enough? Leona, all you are is s-"

"I AM NOT!" Leona unexpectedly screamed.

Diana had to leap back from the door. The sound metal ringing was quickly followed by the sound of wood cracking, splinters falling to the floor from the impact.

"I am not, Diana! If I were, why did I do what I did?! Why-" Leona fell into a fit of coughs, lasting for nearly a minute. Diana could hear the deep, wet, mucus-filled coughs escaping from Leona's lips. "I'm not Leona to them, do you understand?"

Diana stared at the door, unsure of what to do or to say. Her irises contracted, she was standing her ground. Her voice sounded bored as she rambled, "You're the Avatar, I am aware of this fact. You are our figurehead, you are our light, you are the warmth on the ground, you are the-"

"To them, yes. But to you, I am Leona to you," she said, effectively interrupting Diana. "To them, I am the Solari Avatar. They never call me by name, and...I just wanted what you want. I wanted this position, but I also want to be accepted," Leona whispered in a barely audible voice.

"Accepted...You... _You_..." Diana wanted to scream. How dare she? How dare she actually  _phrase_  the words?

Diana nearly tore the door handle off and whipped the door open, making Leona lose her balance and tumble towards her due to the sudden loss of stability. Diana braced herself to catch Leona, which ultimately failed because of the weight of the Solari regalia. Leona fell forward and on top of Diana, throwing the woman to the ground, the impact braced by her posterior. Diana let out a low whine of pain while scrunching her face, "Gah..."

Leona was breathing heavily, not moving very much while resting her head on Diana's stomach.

Diana's eyes narrowed, flicking about to analyze the condition of the woman on top of her. Leona was not responding. Did she hit her head? Did something happen? Diana reached over and pressed her fingers against Leona's forehead. She was burning up. There was a joke here, the Solari Avatar feeling hot, but now was not the time for improper humor. She had to remember that she was angry, she was beyond livid. How odd that she actually had to put effort into remember that she was angry.

"You,  _accepted_? How were you not? How were you ever n-?!"

Leona feebly moved her arms and lifted herself off of Diana. She was about to reply when a series of wet coughs interrupted her and wracked her body.

"Leona, are you alright?"

"Diana, stop. I'm...I'm fine," she finally said. "I...I couldn't do it again. I couldn't do it a second time."

Diana pushed Leona off of her and got to her feet. Leona could hear her friend walk around the room, followed by a loud screeching. She felt hands grab her arms and pull her upwards. "Come on Leona, work with me here. Your butt weighs like the Sun with all that armor."

Leona's legs scrambled underneath her, pushing her up and allowed herself to be directed by Diana. She could feel something underneath her, but before she could question Diana forced her downwards.

"Sit."

Leona complied, sitting on the chair. She rested her head on her hands, letting out a small moan of pain.

"Leona, what are you talking ab-"

"You're bleeding," the Solari Avatar interrupted with a soft whisper.

Her arms trembled with weakness as she reached over and grabbed Diana's blood soaked hand. Diana winced, having completely forgotten about the wound. The metal plates on her gauntlet had tiny, barely noticeable splinters sticking out from the joints.

"Get a bandage on it," Leona croaked. She slowly shook her head, sweat dripping down her face and moved to get up.

"I can ignore it," Diana snapped at her, forcing Leona to stay in place. "Now explain yourself: A second time?"

Leona wiped the sweat off from her brow and replied, "The Rite of Kor."

Diana stared at Leona, completely quiet, thinking of what she had just said. The Rite of Kor, that made some sense, but...

"Leona, what does that have to do with being the Avatar?"

"The Rite of Kor, Diana...It still happens. In a week and three days, it will be the Rite of Kor. I want to make it up to them. All of them...all of the children I failed to protect in my Rite, all the ones I failed to protect in the past few years, and all of the ones I will fail to protect." Leona looked up at Diana, her lips trembling as she attempted to smile. "Everyone...Ha ha...Everyone sees me as a defender...a protector...But that's a lie."

Leona attempted to stand up once more, her body shaking with exhaustion. "Avatar, Avatar, go out and protect us. Avatar, guide us. Avatar, avatar, avatar. It's always Avatar, and never Leona. As the Avatar, I need to guide the Solari people, Diana, but me...My goals...my ambitions...Who cares about them? As the Avatar, I am only a success. With the Regalia now donned, I am without question, their Avatar. No more questioning, no more lessons, no more teaching, I am now accepted to be their Sun."

Diana silently took in what Leona had said. Truth be told, she had not thought of Leona's feelings, or ambitions, or dreams or anything. It was about her, always about her. She forgot about Leona's desires, she forgot Leona even had desires. To hear her speak like this, it was unnerving. How much pressure were the Elders putting on Leona, to make her like this?

"Diana, their acceptance...it's only because I'm the Avatar," the Solari woman said in a series of wet coughs. "You, you accept me because of me, despite my failures."

"Failure? You dare speak of failure, to me?" Diana's eyes narrowed, her previous thoughts forgotten. The volume of her voice rose. "Don't you dare. Don't you ever dare. That's all my life is: Failure. You do not know-"

"THEY DIED BECAUSE OF MINE!" Leona yelled, a flash of light and a surge of heat ripping through the room. "Your failure did not cost any lives! Your failures have no repercussions that you cannot overcome! Your failures are only steps to be taken to your eventual success! My failures lead to death! It led to my death! It was my choice, I chose to die, but no one stood by me! I was alone in those moments, I could not defend myself, and I accepted that! Who saved me? Was it Molik? Was it Pantheon? Was it Jagen, Charis, Giovanidis? Was it implacable me? No! The Sun, it had to be the Sun, it had to be the Sun to save me! Diana, there's only so much I can do!"

The Solari Avatar regained her strength for a moment, her hands reaching out and grabbing Diana's shoulder to both support herself and to force the woman to look at Leona while she spoke. "You don't see me as the Avatar! You see that I have faults! You know I am human! I will be there for you when you need me, but you do not need me now!"

That was the limit of her physical strength. Her knees buckled, if the chair wasn't behind her then Leona would have hit the ground. The legs of the chair creaked and nearly snapped from the sudden weight dropped on it. "I'm sorry, Diana...I'm just...just so tired. I want to help everyone. I want to be there for them. But...you...you're stubborn." She let out a small laugh. "You're stubborn...and you don't need me by your side, do you?"

Diana did not step back nor blink once during Leona's entire outburst. Overall, she was unmoved by the performance. She could not help but notice Leona's word choice of "they". Who were they? Who else had she failed? Did it matter? At the moment, it did not. Diana could not ignore the fatigue that outlined Leona's face. One matter at a time. Her eyes remained as the narrowed, analytical slits from before as she asked, "Why are you so tired?"

"I...haven't been sleeping well," she muttered in response.

"Why not?"

"You didn't come back, after a week. You were missing. I was worried," she admitted in a low tone. "I was so worried. Diana..."

"Then why did you not come? Because you knew I was going to fail? You might as well have said so, because guess what?" She shook her empty hands in the air. "Tadah! Nothing! Is this what you meant by my stubbornness, that I'll just keep running into the same-"

"I want you to find the temple, Diana."

Diana blinked, taken aback by what she said. Her voice faltered. It was a rarity for Diana to be at a loss for words. She spoke before she could process what Leona had said, making her stutter. "W-What?"

"I trust that you will succeed. You...you don't need me, Diana. You don't need me to be there with you. You will succeed. I  _know_  this."

"I want you to  _be_ there when I do, Leona. I want you to be at my side, so I, so we can-"

"Diana...I..." Leona pressed her hands against her face. Her body quaked. "I don't know what to do..."

Diana took a step back. What left Leona's mouth was not a cough, but a sob.

"You were gone for a week, Diana. I was worried. I don't want you to hate me, Diana, but I understand if you do. I am so, so sorry. I should have been there for you. I just...wanted to let you know that, I was leaving, and that I should have gone with you. But, I couldn't, Diana, I couldn't let them down. I needed, I needed to make a choice, and I was scared, what if I had gone with you, what that would have meant. I...I never told you, but the Elders, every time I skipped a lesson, or rescheduled a test, they spoke to me. My responsibilities, Diana, what are they? I..."

Leona droned on. Diana's stopped listening to her. What was she doing? What had she done? She did not stop to consider Leona's feelings, nor her duties or anything. And yet here she was, asking Diana not to hate her? She was angry with her, granted really angry, but that was all. Hate her...?

"Leona, stop it. I don't hate you."

"I broke your trust. I hurt you, Diana. I was weak, I just...I just wanted to be accepted, to be a part of something more than just me, to do something for the greater good. I didn't think of your feelings, I shouldn't have neglected you, but Diana, I accept you for who you are."

Diana held a hand up in front of her defensively as Leona let out a wet cough, a bit of mucus flying out from her mouth. "And what does acceptance mean? Why does theirs mean more to you than mine?"

"Why does theirs?" Leona retorted. "Why do you seek their acceptance, if you have mine?"

Diana drew back, unsure how to respond. She allowed herself time to collect her thoughts, her anger having almost completely dissipated and let out a sigh. Diana started to fidget with the bridge of her nose while she replied, "...We both want more."

"I want to protect everyone..." Leona replied, her voice barely gaining volume. "But that does not mean I do not want you to succeed, Diana. I want-"

"How long have you been awake for?" Diana interrupted. Behind her fingers still rubbing the bridge of her nose, her eyes glared at Leona.

"I'm fine," Leona said in a low whine. "That is not the topic at h-"

"How long? A day? Two?"

"I've been awake for the past few days, I will get rest after I am done conversing with y-"

"Wait, what? Past few days? As in more than two?"

Leona nodded, which made Diana walk over and lightly smacked the back of her head. "You should have had gotten some sleep before you came here!"

Before Leona could protest, Diana was already at her own bed and changing her sheets. She squatted down and pulled out a basket of clean linens from underneath the bed frame. "You're exhibiting symptoms of either a flu or an infection coupled with extreme exhaustion. You haven't had it looked at so whatever it is, it has most likely advanced. I won't ask how you're not dead yet because I would rather not test your luck." Within moments she changed the bed sheets, balled up the dirtied ones and tossed them into the corner. Diana then walked back over to Leona. "I'm taking your armor off."

"I will sleep in a bit. We need to speak m-"

"Armor off first. If you want to keep talking go ahead, it'll at least make you too tired to argue with me any more."

Diana slipped Leona's circlet off while the avatar spoke in her gentle tone.

"I trust you, Diana. I trust you will make that discovery, you will find them. But I want to go to the League, Diana. I want to represent the people. I want to represent everyone, including you," Leona spat out in between coughs. "That does not mean I do not I want you to succeed. I want you to, but...do you need me, Diana? Do you need me by your side?"

Diana was already fidgeting with Leona's chest piece, while the circlet rested on top of her notes on her desk. Diana started to unhook the leather straps that held the armor in place as she spoke, "I want you by my side."

"Should I tell them that I refuse?"

Diana's hands stopped. She had not accepted yet? Leona made it sound like she had. Her mind was made up, she knew what she wanted her ambitions were, yet Leona asked her such a question. Her?

"I have not yet officially accepted to join the League. I could remain here. I wished to speak with you first, to converse with you, before I said yes, or no."

Diana could say yes, but what if...what if she  _was_  wrong? Then what would Leona have thrown away for her own sake? What if she said yes, and Leona betrayed her again? Should she take that chance?

"Diana? Answer me, please."

Diana made her choice. Her knuckles went white from how tightly she balled her fists, blood quietly dripped down onto the floor from her injured knuckles. "You should not refuse them, if it is what you want to do. To each their own ambitions, I can't fault you for that. Just promise me that you will not forget about me, that my friendship meant something to you."

"So long as you promise me that you will take care of yourself," she pleaded. "So I don't have to worry about you when I am not here."

Diana slipped the chest plate off, exposing the traditional, dark purple garments of the Solari Avatar, then circled her arms around Leona in an embrace from behind. "I will tell you this, Leona: You don't have to worry about me. I promise, Leona, that you will not have to. Besides, in all honesty? I'm not the one all mucusy and coughing all over the place. If only you had sunstroke, huh? That'd be much easier to manage for you."

Leona let out a light laugh and groaned. "That is a weak joke."

"I try, Leona. It's all I can do."

Diana threw the chest piece to the ground and then forced Leona to her feet. "I'm not taking your pants off, you can do that yourself. You're going to bed, I'm getting the Elders and our healers, and I'm watching you tonight. You are resting."

"I-"

"No." Diana cut off any form of possible protest from Leona off via a slicing motion at her neck. "Don't make me kill you. You're going to rest in peace, or in pieces."

Leona groaned and rolled her eyes. "That too, is also an awful joke. But...fine."

Diana made her way towards the door, shooting a look back at Leona. "I'll be back soon, alright?"

Leona nodded her head and let out another wet cough, staining the sheets with spittle and mucus. She grimaced at the sight. "Ugh. Gross..."

"You've seen worse. Get some sleep already, sunshine."

This elicited a small grin from Leona before she closed her eyes and turned over, making herself comfortable in the bed. Diana softly closed the door behind her before taking off at a sprint. She just realized how loud they were, and in all honesty, she was surprised that no one had come to investigate their conversation. Diana turned down the corridor and nearly crashed into a Praetorian guard.

Diana stamped her feet on the ground and gracefully slid a meter past him. The two hoplites looked at her, their usually stoic features colored by confusion.

"Diana? Is something amiss?" one of them asked.

"Amiss?" Diana pointed down the corridor. "How long were you standing here for?"

"The Avatar came here..." the other hoplite looked out the window, stared at the sky for a bit and then looked back at Diana, affirming his time estimate. "Approximately an hour ago. We have been here in our vigilance since."

"And you heard nothing?"

"Heard? What should we have heard?" The hoplite gripped his spear tighter, glaring at Diana. "Did something happen? What-"

"Laocoon, her hand," the other guard growled. "Blood."

Diana let out a silent curse under her breath. "I don't have time for this, I need to see the Elders now, Leo-"

"You will address her by her title, Diana," the man snarled. "And we will escort you to the Elders, under suspicion of harming the Avatar."

She stared at them, unblinking, waiting for them to say something more.

"Will you resist?"

"...You didn't hear a word? Not a sound?"

The hoplites shook their heads, then their eyes glanced at one another. "This is a valid point. We would have heard, or even seen,  _something_."

Diana did not want to waste any more time. "I'm going to see the Elders. Keep up," she barked. She took off in a fast jog once more, the loud clanging of armor and weapons following suit as the two men tried to keep pace with her. She had no time to waste, all she knew was that she was thankful that no one else heard their conversation.

That conversation, that was theirs and no one elses. Diana's lips cracked into a smile, an unexpected laugh rang out. How odd that even the littlest of blessings brought so much joy. Despite the pain, the anger, the frustration, perhaps...perhaps they were connected.

Her heart skipped a beat at such a thought.

Despite all of this, at the back of Diana's mind, something tugged at her. Some...nagging thoughts, some awful feelings. She quickly pushed them away, out of sight and out of mind. Now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. First things first, Leona needed proper medical care beyond sycophants listening to her every command.

* * *

_Present Day_

Leona was hunched over a desk, writing away in her journal. She was providing her own source of light, her eyes flicking from Diana's notes to her own as she slowly transcribed letters.

Her ears rang with memories, with injustices done.

_"This is your last chance: Give up your heresy, claim your error in judgement, lead us to the temple, and let the Solari reign unabated."_

_"No! You know nothing! You are nothing! Leona! Where is Leona?! She won't let this happen! She will not! Get Leona! Bring her here!"_

_"We are the Acolytes of the Sun, Diana. We act in her name and on her behalf, just as always. This is her will."_

Leona's grip tightened around her pen. She continued to scratch more lines into the paper when she stopped. With a loud groan, Leona scratched out the page and flipped over to a new one. She started flipping between multiple pages and started to scribe yet again.

_"N-no…Leona, Leona believed me. She believed me."_

_"She is a kind one, Diana. She humored you."_

Leona slammed her head onto the table, letting out a low laugh. "Oh brilliant Sun...how did I miss that?" She tore the page out and hurled the crumpled paper behind her. A red mark started to form on her forehead as she began to write once more.

" _Diana, will you refute the existence of the Lunari once and for all? If you do so, then you will be finally accepted into Solari society. Think of it, you will get what you have always wanted._

_"How dare you? The sun is supposed to be the light of the way, the revealer of truths! Yet you dare ask me to do such an abhorrent action?! Tell me one thing, will Leona know of what will happen here?"_

_"Of course she-"_

_"WILL. SHE. KNOW?!"_

Leona's grip on her pen tightened, she could not write anymore. She glared at the paper in front of her, anger in her eyes.

_"…She will know what she needs to. Nothing more."_

The pen snapped in half, spilling ink all over her hand. Leona backhanded a pile of books and let out a frustrated yell. She stood up from her seat and started to pace to and fro, mumbling and venting her anger out loud. Upon realizing that her hand was drenched in ink, she quickly grabbed what she deemed to be scrap paper and started to wipe her hand off.

Leona eventually sat back, picked up the journal, and read aloud what she had written.

"Ask not the sun why he sets

Why he shrouds his light away

Or why he hides his glowing gaze

When night turns crimson gold to grey

For silent falls the sleeping sun

As day to dark does turn

One simple truth we dare to speak:

The day and night skies, for their light we yearn

From the lowest valley of Lunara

to the highest mountains bright

the rivers flow down her ravine

all will see the truth serene."

Leona stared at the words, slowly registering what was written. She stared at them, her body started to shake. "I...I did it..." She picked the journal up, staring at it. "I did it. I think? No no no, I did it. Now...now what?" She turned the book about, staring at it. Her voice became shrill. "Now  _what_?!"

Leona hurled the book to the wall, bellowing in anger. "Nonsense! It's all nonsense! It makes no sense! What does it mean?! Let the Sun damn it! Sun damn it all!"

She fell back in her chair, grabbing her face. "Gaaaah! What nonsense is that? Ask not why the sun he sets? Why he shrouds his light? One simple truth we dare speak, day and night skies, for their light we yearn?! What is this bull-"

Leona stopped. She dove to her desk, sending books flying. She grabbed one of the journals, Diana's diary. She flipped to the final page and stared at it. Various calculations, degrees, jargon coding and geological and astrological sketches and writing were drawn alongside the words. "Lunara...The cult is of the Lunari."

Leona's eyes hungrily read the words, her lips moving as she silently spoke the words. "I'm close, so very close. I can feel it, I can sense it. The texts, it's all there. It's all there. The puzzle, need to unpuzzle. Why is it in here? I don't know, I need to solve it. I'm so close. Why is it there? Can't care, not now, after I'll think, now I need to dig deeper. It's there, it's there, I swear it is..."

Leona palmed her face. She needed to think. What could possibly help her now? What was she missing? She had a constellation, that meant she had a possible coordinate. What else though? It could not be that simple. What was she-

Leona knew what she was missing. She had repeated it every single time, at every single sermon, at every single lesson: the Solari creed. Her lips moved as she whispered the creed aloud,

"Ask not why the sun rises

why he bathes all in his light

why his glory shines on all

when all who gaze skyward know his might.

For songs rise the slumbering sun

As dark to day does turn

One simple truth we dare to speak:

For the light and warmth, we yearn

From the mountains of Solarus

to the darkest dale

Let the essence of Targon flow

And follow the huntress' bow

Brilliant Sun, purify their souls

The Heretics will never rise again."

She had spoken it so many times. Leona grabbed her pen and scratched at the paper to no avail. It was broken, the ink dripping everywhere. With a loud curse she hurled the pen across the room. Her eyes scanned the desk, trying to find a writing instrument of any kind.

Eventually her hand came down on a pencil. Leona grabbed the nearest scrap piece of paper and wrote the two creeds side by side.

What stood out to her from the creeds were the third stanzas. She rearranged them until they made a slightly coherent sentence structure. "From the mountains of Solarus to the lowest dale, from the lowest valley of Lunara to the highest mountain bright, let the essence of Targon flow. The rivers flow down her ravine and follow the huntress' bow, all will see the truth serene."

The truth, they both state what the truth is. They only slightly differ in their reading, though the implications of the Solari creed is quite obvious. Yet when compared to the Lunari creed, the roots were clearly visible. How was this possible? The Solari creed, it had to be adjusted, yet...the Lunari creed. It was in the Solari texts. Who could have done all this? Who was able to make the creeds coincide in such a manner?

Leona stared at the paper, allowing the thoughts to churn in her mind. She was finally piecing the pieces together, it was all in front of her now. All she had to do w-

Violent knocking on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Avatar!" It was Molik's voice. Leona could hear the Vanguard's armor clanking and clanging as they moved into position outside her door. "Avatar, are you well? We heard you yell, then your presence started to illuminate the night!"

Leona screeched her chair back, swung the door open and grabbed Molik by his collar. She dragged him inside and nodded to the other Vanguard members. "I am well. Molik will watch over me. Return to your posts."

She closed the door in their faces and released Molik. Leona let out a low laugh, cupping her face. "I did it."

"You did it? You did...wait." He looked over at the desk, staring at the mess she had made of all the books and all the notes. His skin went pale, if Leona could see his face she would see his boggled expression. "You did it?"

"I deciphered it, Molik. Look..." she pointed at the desk, a huge grin on her face.

He made his way over and stared at he notes. It looked like gibberish to him, as though a madman had scrawled every thought he ever had on the paper, but the faint resemblance of Leona's penmanship made it legible to him. "This...is a poem?"

"The Lunari creed."

Molik stared at the paper, bewildered. His lips moved to try and speak, to say anything to no avail.

Leona slumped down on the bed and let out an exhausted sigh. Her eyelids started to droop. She finally felt relieved, relaxed after all of this work. "I did it. I did it, Molik."

"N...now what, Leona?" He looked over at her, tapping the paper. "What does this mean?"

"Now I'm going to find the Lunari temple, to prove to Diana that I put thought behind her words. I will show Diana I am capable of understanding, that I am not ignorant, and with that, I hope I will be able to convince her to come back. So she can hear my words once more, so I can veer her off the path of selfdestruction, that even I, the Solari Avatar, am capable of understanding. No more deaths will be needed, no more pain, no more betrayal, no more lies."

Molik looked at the paper, then at Leona, then back at the paper. He thumped his hand on the desk to emphasize what he said next. "I'm coming with you."

Leona's eyes fluttered open, she stared at her friend with a questioning look. "What? Why?"

"You will need an escort outside Solari grounds, just like the first time when you went to the Institute. You're not allowed to travel without proper protection, and at least with me, all we'll have to do is convince the Elders that you only need one person overlooking your safety in case Diana attacks. What will all of the Vanguard do against the might of the Lunari avatar? Only one person is needed to go, only one person is needed to safeguard you, and if I die, it will only be one who does rather than all of us," Molik said in a stern tone.

"Molik, I don't want you thinking in such a way nor for you to sacrifice yourself in such a mann-"

"I support you, Leona." Molik thumped his chest and gave her a quick salute. "You asked me to support you, this is how I show my support to you. Let me accompany you, my friend."

Leona smiled at him, and nodded in response. "Thank you, Molik."

"I will see you at seven o'clock then? I will let the Elders know of your plans to go for a early morning stroll so you can try and get another hours of sleep in."

She raised an eyebrow and let out a small chuckle. "Molik, I need to decipher the location first. I have an inkling, but...I need to double check my information."

He nodded in response and made his way over to Leona. Molik held a hand out towards her. "Well then, you can't rest now, can you? Finish your work up and then get some sleep."

Leona's lips parted into a gentle smile. "Thank you, Molik." She took his hand and stood back up with his help. "You should get some rest."

He nodded, released her hand and made his way out of the room. Leona sat at her desk once more, hearing the soft click of the door closing. Finally, her goal was in sight. With renewed vigor, she started her work once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I attempted to write the Solari's Creed with the same rhyming pace as Diana's poem, along with the Lunari creed. I wrote both of these!


	8. Shadows of Truth

" _Iron Solari Molik. You know what must be done, yes?"_

" _Yes, Elder Alexios. I do."_

" _You cannot falter. Go forth and steel your heart."_

" _In the name of the Sun, I act."_

The conversation rang in Molik's ears. Despite being morning, it was almost pitch dark with how deep in the woods they had wandered into. He shouldered the bag into a more comfortable position, and if it were not for Leona's voice calling to him, he would have continued being lost in his thoughts.

"Molik? Are you coming?"

"Mm? Oh! Yes, Leona." He readjusted the satchel that he had slung over his shoulder, containing a day's worth of water and lunch. His xiphos sword hung on his left side and he carried no shield on him. He started to walk by the Solari avatar as they wandered about. Molik had to note that despite being so early in the morning it was  _blistering_  hot. The heat waves from the deserts of Shurima should not be blowing over into the mountain ranges at this time of year, however. Maybe it was the sun itself that was causing such an intense heat?

Leona looked around and started to mumble to herself, fidgeting with the compass she held in her right hand, "From the mountains of Solarus to the lowest dale, from the lowest valley of Lunara to the highest mountain bright, let the essence of Targon flow. The rivers flow down her ravine and follow the huntress' bow, all will see the truth serene..."

Rather than being dressed in her ceremonial armor, she was dressed in the standard toga of an average Solari member: white with bands of purple cloth that lined the edges of the clothing. The choice of attire was rather limited for the Solari because of how much they relied on the Rakkor to provide them with their food, and most of their hard labor. Working clothes were not seen as "dignified" for religious figures such as them.

"According to Heimerdinger and Jayce's notes, they confirm with Diana's notes that the full moon rises due East. Where will that lead us to?" The Solari avatar murmured and tapped at the map. "Mogron's Pass is east of Mount Targon. Following the huntress' bow, that means...Diana."

"Pardon?"

Leona clicked her tongue. "Diana is the huntress. If the moon rises in the east when it's full, which is what I'm hoping Lunara is the representation of, and the constellation formation is seen near the top right side of the moon, that's southeast. We need to find a river that flows that direction."

"No river does, Leona," Molik affirmed. "Both us and the Rakkor get all of our water from Targon's peak. There's no significant river that flows anywhere else but in the basins we already use. Our ancestors redirected the rivers to do as such."

"...What if…" Leona furrowed her brow, trying to think of an explanation. "What if they are no longer rivers?"

The sun started to shine a bit more brightly on them, the forestry becoming somehow less dense in this section they were walking in.

"Eh?"

"Something could have changed. Maybe the other rivers became convergent with our own because of the reshaping our ancestors did? There has to be a tell, something that led Diana to the temple."

"But it would have been found by now, wouldn't it have?"

"Did you ever try looking for it? Did you ever try following a river to see where it went?" Leona snapped back, obviously agitated by his questioning. "None of the Solari have left the mountain in decades, maybe even centuries, while the Rakkor only step out when their territory is being infringed upon. Curiosity is not a trademark of our culture. The first curious person that followed it was branded a heretic."

Molik shook his head then bowed it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to...Sorry, Leona."

"Stop apologizing, Molik. I'm just trying to figure out how far she had to walk. When I was in her memory, the judgement, it was morning when she got to the temple, and then dusk when she returned to the Solari. It happened during Spring, meaning...It may have taken her anywhere from six hours to thirteen, fourteen hours of walking." Another exasperated sigh escaped her lips. She slid down the side of a gully and continued her pace. "Mogron's pass is an hour's walk if we took the main pathway, and there's not much…"

Leona's sandals became sloshed in water. She let out a yelp of surprise, the sudden cold afflicting her feet and leapt away. "What th…?" She stared at it, the sunlight burning into her back.

Molik had his sword half drawn, looking around for any sign of danger when loud laughter pierced his ears.

"What? What is it, Leona?"

"Look! Water!"

"...Yes. It's water."

Leona pointed around them. "Molik, this is a gully!"

"And?"

Leona took off into a sprint, running westwards up the slow incline.

"Leona, wh-"

"Keep up!"

Molik jumped down the gully and took off running after the Solari avatar. It was strange seeing her this bright. This happy. In all the months she spent laboring over the work, she finally looked…What was he talking about? He had not seen her this happy ever since she officially donned the armor of the Solari avatar. It had been years since he had seen her beam like this, to be so full of energy,

After nearly a half hour, Leona stopped and pointed around them. "Look at this, Molik!"

The gully seemed to lead all the way up to the peak of Mount Targon, the view they had showed no sudden end to the groove that was embedded into the landscape.

"All the water's been redirected, right? That means this was formerly a river, and if I'm not mistaken…" Leona looked at her compass and grinned. "We were roughly northwest, off by a few degrees, just now. The sun is shining that way, which only confirms it, this is the next step!"

"...Just like that?" Molik frowned slightly. "Doesn't it say her ravines? This is a g-"

"Look how deep it is, Molik. If it were filled with water, this would be a river in of itself easily." Leona started to walk down the gully once more, heading eastwards this time. "The diversions the Solari made almost parched this river, but it's still a brook. This is our only lead, and by the Sun, I'm going to take it. I can almost feel it pulling me this way."

Molik could not help but notice the glowing features of Leona, her smiling like a child on Snowdown's day. He could not help but smile himself as he followed her.

In about an hour, they came across Mogron's Pass, and the gully ended along with the brook. The desert sands of Shurima had started to creep its way up this section of the path, absorbing any of the remaining water. Molik reached into his satchel and handed Leona a gourd of their own water. "Have something to drink, Leona."

"Thank you."

She took a long drink from the gourd before staring at the ground, trying to figure out where to go next.

"Perhaps we should continue walking the way we were?" Molik suggested.

"That seems to be the only course of action, but the land evens out from here. We're supposed to be going down in elevation…Maybe some sort of natural event changed the landscape. Maybe an earthquake?" Leona took a deep breath in and nodded to herself. "I suppose this is where one must have faith."

With that, Leona and Molik started to walk once more. He was not sure how much more silence he could take, and so, he thought he would strike up a conversation. About what though?

"Leona, what do you hope this will accomplish? What will happen if Diana doesn't...if this doesn't sway her path? What if it was all for naught?"

Leona shook her head. She rolled her knuckles, staring at them, thinking of a response. "...Then as I said before...I tried. That's all I can do, Molik. If this doesn't sway her, then...I don't know. I hope it does. I really hope I can convince her. I've been thinking, and this is the last thing I need to do before I talk with her one on one. If this fails..." A loud sigh escaped her lips. "Then it is what it is."

The two walked in silence, seemingly aimlessly about, past the rough terrain and towards the towering mountain range before them. Where they were going, Leona could only hope it was the right direction.

* * *

Within the Institute of War, Diana stood before a door. It did not look peculiar, there was nothing notable of this door in particular, but the League match she was in earlier, she had been given a note to come to this location, room number 99 in the Noxian wards. She gave the door a series of solid knocks before waiting for a response.

"Come in, dear. The door is open," LeBlanc's voice assured her from within.

The Moonlit Knight opened the door and saw both the Deceiver and the Grand General of Noxus sitting at a table across from one another. An ivory tea pot with intricate floral designs was between them while the two of them each held a dainty tea cup. The room itself was furnished with fine silks and a vibrant red wallpaper, decorated by a multitude of differently colored roses.

Jericho Swain was dressed in the formal crimson and dark green robes of a Noxian High General, accompanied by a golden breastplate that shone brilliantly. His raven, Beatrice, flew over to Diana, all six of her beady red eyes drilled into the woman as though she were trying to stare into Diana's very soul.

No fear, no hesitation, Diana raised her forearm and held it out for the raven to land upon. Beatrice perched herself and started to climb up Diana's arm excitedly until she reached the Lunari avatar's shoulder where she started to preen her feathers.

"Swain. I did not expect to see you here," Diana said without a hint of respect towards the leader of Noxus. She did not care for things such as titles or the power that this man in front of her wielded. It was insignificant compared to the power and authority of the moon. "I was led to believe that I would only speak with LeBlanc."

"Mm…" Swain rose from his seat, placing the cup of tea back onto the tone carried a militaristic politeness to it, and though his eyes were hidden by his helmet, she could tell that he was doing his best to scrutinize every fiber of her being. "You are. My business with her has concluded for now. Though I must comment that I am surprised."

"At?"

"At how readily Beatrice took to you. She usually dislikes strangers."

Beatrice let out a squawk and continued to preen her feathers. Swain walked towards Diana with sure steps, his characteristic limp missing in his stride. "Come along, Beatrice," was all he said while moving past the Lunari avatar. The raven flitted off of Diana and landed on Swain's right shoulder, and with that done, Swain let the two women be.

"Our conversations sometimes go on longer than I expect, dear. So sorry for the surprise." LeBlanc motion to the seat across from her. "Please, after you."

With long strides, Diana made her way to the table and sat herself down, driving the tip of her weapon into the tiled floor on her right side.

"Tea?"

"No."

"Biscuits?"

"No."

"A-?"

"No."

LeBlanc frowned, her lower lip pouting. "You're not any fun, are you?"

"You know why I am here."

"I actually do not, mademoiselle. Why  _are_  you here? What do you wish to talk with me about?"

Diana's eyes squinted, her face scrunched up from displeasure. "Already a lie?"

"A lie? Me? Where is it?" LeBlanc looked around and shrugged in response. "Where do you see this lie?"

"You know why I am here."

"And as I said before, no, I do not. What are you here for  _exactly_?"

"Your offer."

LeBlanc grinned and nodded, followed by folding her hands onto the table. "I see, I see, what about my offer is it that you wish to speak of?"

The glare Diana was drilling into LeBlanc would unnerve most others, but the Deceiver seemed to be taking delight in the mood of their discussion.

"I refuse it."

LeBlanc seemed nonplussed by the response. "Why?" she cooed. "Why refuse it?"

"I will not be made subservient to you."

"Subservient? To me? Why would I-"

"Noxus still employs slavery," Diana grunted. "You rip people from their homes and make them your servants. Th-"

"Is no different than serving a religion is what some would say, dear," LeBlanc said while still grinning. "You are the servant of the moon, are you not? Are you therefore the moon's slave? Does it crack a whip on your back, demanding you to spread its word?"

"That is twisting my words." Diana stood up, grabbed her blade, and moved to walk out of the room. This was non-negotiable, she refused to be used as a puppet to the whims of Noxus. No more lies, no more half-truths, and LeBlanc would certainly not aid her. "I will not play this game."

LeBlanc allowed the Lunari avatar to walk three steps before saying, "And yet you'll play Leona's."

Diana cast a wary, slightly confused glance towards LeBlanc. "Explain yourself."

"I believe your words were...Give me a moment." The Deceiver swished her hands to and fro, playfully extending the silence before saying in Diana's voice, "I want you to think, and realize what needs to be done, because I want you to join me, Leona." LeBlanc smiled at her, and motioned towards the seat once more. "Sit, darling. It seems I have caught your interest once more."

Diana and LeBlanc stared at one another, but before silence could fully settle, the Lunari avatar asked, "Did the summoners betray me?"

"Betray you? Dear, not everyone is out to betray you. You're being paranoid." LeBlanc tapped her right index finger on the table, sending out a spark of magic. "I simply know what I need to know at the precise moment it is required."

Diana eyed LeBlanc, then stated, "Prove it. Prove they did not betray me, they did not break their word."

"I have no need to." LeBlanc shook her head and continued to grin. "That's the beauty of it. Do you take my word or do you call me a liar, just like everyone else did to you? But of course, you could always speak to the Council of Equity, and I would do  _nothing_  to hinder you from doing as such. And yet..." She started to wave her right hand to and fro in front of her face, making it resemble a whimsical metronome while saying, "No reason to persecute me so, Diana. We're on the same side. Besides, I have already  _proven_  the truth, have I not? As I said before,  _you_  of all people would know if someone like moi were lying, yes?"

Before Diana could reply, LeBlanc continued her verbal assault. "Do you want Leona to dominate you?"

The Moonlit Knight allowed lunar energy to gather in her weapon, annoyance starting to gnaw away at her. She was on edge. Why could she not just walk away? What was keeping her here? The door seemed to be a million miles away for some godsforsaken reason. It was not a metaphorical distance either. Diana could swear that every step she took brought her no closer to the door as though she were walking in place. Her eyes narrowed, showing grim determination; this was becoming tiring, she would have to end this charade in order to leave this room.

LeBlanc rested back on her chair, lifted one leg and crossed it over her other, and continued to speak in that same sweet and gentle tone. "You indirectly asked me if I want to enslave you, make you subservient. I say no, I will not disrespect you,  _ever_ , in such a manner. Your deal with Leona, however, are you trying to make her your slave, or you hers? Was that its purpose of the deal?"

"N-"

"No? Oh! How drole of me!" LeBlanc tapped her forehead with the tips of her fingers, imitating a mock realization. "I thought offering you the  _exact_  same deal as you did to Leona would be enough to show my intentions. If I do not want to enslave you, and you do not want to enslave Leona, or her you, such an assumption was rather rude to think of! I want a partnership, not a minion. Yes, Noxus does practice slavery, because those people are  _worms_."

Her hands shot out and she started to weave her magic to and fro, violet energy creating imagery of her words as she spoke them. "So few understand this concept, dear, and I know you are  _more_  than capable of doing so because of your nature. People are very simple, Diana. By themselves, the majority of people are worms, spineless. They will do nothing by themselves, they'll follow the path of least resistance, and will simply drift, whether it's one, one hundred, or a million of them. However, because they are spineless, they will gravitate towards a strong personality."

A small fire flickered into existence on the palm of her hands which shaped itself into the head of a serpent.

"Once they do so, they imagine themselves  _dragons_ , creatures of terrifying might; despite how much of a facade it is. The facade they wear does not matter at all; since it is only an illusion of power that they wield as a community who all agree to the same values and same ideas. Divided, they are worms. United, they feel as though they are a dragon. A fairly simple concept with its entire base relying on the lone fact that they  _must_  be united. Who then holds the leash to such a fearsome beast? What then happens is whatever this leader of said worms says and does can eventually create social norms: Murder is wrong and stealing become listed as the baseline of what is considered 'criminal' throughout most societies. But then you go to somewhere such as Demacia and you get something specific: If a child is conceived before the unity of marriage, it is a bastard and cannot hold any legal rights, including citizenship. Ionia? One must be balanced, or else the Kinkou swoop in and  _balance_  you. The Solari? Question them at your own risk."

LeBlanc pointed at Diana and wagged her finger. "If you were a worm, I would have crushed you under my heel already." A spark of magic struck the edge of the Lunari avatar's blade and was absorbed by the energy that had gathered around the sword. "We are all servants to some sort of greater power: Life, death, fate, however you wish to phrase it. You live, then you die without a bang, but with a whimper. Besides, there is the added fact that nearly every single great feat ever accomplished by people have been done via slaves. Slaves to a ruler, slaves to an idea, slaves to whatever physical entity or metaphysical conjuring that may be."

The Deceiver paused for a moment, still smiling at the Lunari avatar and shrugged her shoulders. "And yet, as you said, there is a difference of servitude to something such as the moon, the sun, to beings that are greater than you, and serving someone as insolent as a leader of liars and traitors. We believe in this very same aspect that you so readily subscribe yourself to, that there are beings greater than us, and we must  _respect_  them. The people of Noxus have the Grand General to emulate, the followers of the Lunari thankfully have you now to emulate and to follow, to see you as who they should strive to become, while the Solari? What did you do in the face of your society, when they told you to bend to them, to break? To become enslaved to their doctrine? You cut them down. You said  _no_. Which, really, is the puzzling thing to me."

Diana had been listening quietly, her cold demeanor unchanging. A few minutes of silence, then she asked, "How is that puzzling to you?"

LeBlanc's fingers snapped as she said, "You already  _know_  what I'm saying, I'm only iterating it aloud so you know that I know. These are not foreign concepts to you, these are not things you did not realize on your own, I don't  _have_  to convince you the meaning of my words, and yet you give the leader of those who wronged you, judged and  _persecuted_  you, Leona, a chance. Why? For my all of my boundless wisdom, beauty and intellect, this puzzles me." The Deceiver shook her head and rolled her eyes. "She wants to crush you, I know you are not fooling yourself, but I must state it aloud for my own sake. You killed her people, her community, her  _slaves_. Why even make her the offer that you did, Diana? If she refuses, you will cut her down anyways. What is the  _point_?"

"Only if I need to," she replied in a low growl, "will she be sifted. If I do not need to, then I will not."

"And that, my dear, is your nature as a leader: You two cannot be allies, not now, not ever, so therefore you must be enemies. That is what happens when two equals meet, the only choices that can be made. She has already made her choice, as have you. All you are doing is dragging out the inevitable by extending a failed offer."

Diana's eyes furrowed. Annoyance now set in her voice. "Leona is not their leader. She did not command them. If any word you have spoken is true, then their leader is the dogma they blindly follow, not h-"

"Really? You'll stand there and say that? That is how they work, Diana, she's one of them: Find someone vulnerable, pile their beliefs and their opinions on them, and give them something they want, something they need. You refused to play in the sandbox when you had the slide, but she chose that box over you. Once the idea of acceptance,  _compliance_ , penetrates someone's head, control is further asserted on them. Once total doctrinal control has been asserted, they will continue the cycle."

Her eyebrow raised up as she fired question after question at Diana. "Does any of this sound familiar? Has she not ever done  _something_ to hurt you? To wrong you? Does she even trust you? And if she is not their leader, then that just makes her yet another follower. Yet another person you must take under your wing, or crush under your heel. If she isn't the leader, if she hasn't hurt you, if none of what I said rang true, and she does trust you, then forgive me for my insolence. But if this is true, would that not mean that everything you have done up to now has been utterly pointless and  _completely_  selfish of you?" LeBlanc folded her hands once more and waited for an answer.

Diana did not reply.

"I thought as much."

"I said nothing-"

"Nothing sometimes says everything, darling. There's no reason to be coy with me, it's less flattering than many think." LeBlanc stood up and started to walk towards Diana. "What I am offering you is not servitude, for a leader cannot be caged, a leader cannot be ' _corralled_ ', and you? You are a leader of people, your flock. That is why despite my title of 'Deceiver', I do not expect you to serve me. Oh no, tsk tsk tsk, for I could never do such a thing to you. You and I, are equals. You and I must be allies, or enemies. From one strong personality to another, I extend to you an agreement of equal partnership. If you refuse, well, we will have to become unnecessary enemies. Such is life."

LeBlanc's seventh footstep made no sound as she disappeared then reappeared behind Diana, her head hovering just over the Lunari woman's shoulder. She cooed in her ear, "Who are you, Diana? A worm hoping to be a dragon for the briefest of moments, or are you a leader, someone who will right what is wrong? I offer you services: Manpower, money, infrastructure,  _freedom_ , while you? If you and I were to fight, I have no doubt that you would slay me, but then you would have only yourself, and all twenty of your followers at your side. How long will it be before Leona decides that you must die? How long before the world sees the ripples  _you_  are making, the injustices they have lived their entire lives so fervently by, and you threaten to make them see the truth? What will you do without an ally, Diana? Because as it stands, you have  _always_  been alone. Knock knock?"

Diana swung in a wide arc in her most earnest effort to cut the Deceiver in half. A streak of lunar energy roared out and carved out an entire section of the wall and the door behind her. Charred stone fragments and charred pieces of wood fell to the ground as LeBlanc reappeared in front of Diana. "Who's there? The moon. It's far away, you were alone. The. Whole. Time." LeBlanc's gentle voice filled with honeyed words continued to fill Diana's ears. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Diana. You and I, we do everything and anything that constitutes as a necessity, despite how much it may pain us to make such sacrifices. We sift the wheat."

LeBlanc started to carefully move her hands towards Diana's cheeks. "You did not shed a single tear when you had your entire life stripped away from you. You did not shed a single tear when the shadows almost killed your light. Why ally yourself with the ones who robbed you of everything? Why make provisions for their leader, the one they emulate? If they are enslaved by the doctrine, what makes her any different? Behind all of this coldness, you still yearn, don't you? I can give you with something you've never had, always wanted but always eluded you: Respect. Can any of them do the same?"

The Lunari avatar's eyes tightened, her jaw became clenched with the faintest boiling of anger. LeBlanc's hands froze just centimeters away from holding the Moonlit Knight's cheeks. Diana pulled away from LeBlanc's hands, her face showing disgust at the gesture. She then let out an aggravated grunt, and walked towards the door, each step carrying her outside this encounter.

Diana's hand clasped the handle when LeBlanc spoke once more.

"The next time we meet and we will, I assure you, I want to know if your answer is still no. That will be the last chance I give you before we are made enemies by  _your_  choice. I wish you nothing but the best of luck for your League match that is happening in...Mm, ten minutes, I believe it's scheduled for, so I won't keep you here any longer. But! Before you go, humor me, please: You never answered my question verbally, Diana," LeBlanc cooed. "Did she ever hurt you? Betray you?"

"...Yes," Diana said as she slammed the door behind her.

The Deceiver's grin never left her face even once. She went back to her seat, sat down, and took a sip from her tea. She exhaled a breath of satisfaction, closed her eyes, and snapped her fingers. Faint, melodic music started to play one of her favorite arias, content spread throughout her entire body. Today was a relaxing, yet productive, day.

* * *

"What is this?"

Leona and Molik spent more than four hours hiking up then climbing the face of a mountain just in the effort to try and bypass it, they were presented by a caldera filled to the very brim with trees with very few, sporadic clearings that showed tiny bodies of water. The mountains here encircled it, and if Leona were not so stunned by the vastness that was staring back at her, she would have noticed how the path she and Molik took was the path of least resistance. There seemed to be no other feasible path to this caldera but this one, specific way, and even so what were they looking at?

It all looked like one big green blur before them.

Without warning, Leona sat down and laid back, staring upwards.

"Leona?"

"What now?" She stared upwards, shaking her head left to right. "What now? This is...What."

"Leona? Are you al-"

"No. No, I'm not alright. I don't know what to do now." The Solari Avatar pointed at the forestry below them and started to wave it about. "Do we check every inch of the forest? How far do we walk? Where do we walk towards? It all goes into slopes, downwards, what do we do now?"

Leona sat up, and looked all around her. Meters away, on the edge of a ledge, an ancient, withered cyprus tree pointed downwards. Its placement was almost exactly southeast by the compass' reading. Her tired eyes tried to pick anything up, anything at all, and saw small grooves that seemed to flow down and around the crag, disappearing into the forestry below.

"...I am going to say something very stupid, Molik."

"Eh?"

"What if...that tree. That tree, right there," Leona pointed at it the cypress. "Was a way to note a bow? A-and, and...the cliff, the point, is the arrow, pointing us where to go?"

Molik gave her a vacant stare, not very sure how to phrase the words he was thinking into a less offensive sentence than,  _'Are you fucking serious?_ '

Leona pressed her fingers into the sides of her head and let out a frustrated yell. She motioned to Molik and demanded, "Binoculars!"

"A-at once!"

He turned his bag upside down and dumped its contents out. Various papers, still wrapped sandwiches, a few apples, a charcoal pencil and binoculars fell out. Scooping the lenses up, Molik handed them to Leona who started to scan the scenery.

"Something, something, something, something! Something! Anything! Trees, trees, more trees, tiny rivers, trees, come on!" she howled. "Trees! More trees! Marble! Tr...Marble?" The gears in her head nearly came to a screeching halt. She pointed them at where she had spotted the marble, and sure enough, just tiny specks of it peeked out from between the trees.

"Marble…"

Leona threw the binoculars away and jumped off the cliff.

"LEONA!" Molik ran over to the edge, scrambling to a stop and saw that the drop was only fifteen feet. For most others, that would spell a broken limb at the least, but for Leona, old memories resurfaced once more. Pantheon had tried to show both him and her how to properly land after falling any distance, an ability that helped him perfect his trademark attack: The Grand Skyfall. Though he himself could never fathom to master it, it seemed that Leona remembered their old friend's teachings.

Leona slid down the cliffside at an alarming speed, the corners of her eyes catching the small grooves that had etched into the rock by what could only have been a flow of water. As she neared the base of the mountain, a jagged edge obstructed her path and forced her to jump. Leona took a deep breath in, and hoped for the best as she sailed over the crag, and into a deep, ice cold river.

When she surfaced, she barely managed to grab a rotted tree root to keep her from being carried away by the current, and was half laughing and half gasping for air. Something in her gut told her to not fear the current, to allow it to sweep her away. The corner of Leona's eye caught sight of a large branch, easily able to hold her weight, and reached for it.

"Leona! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Molik!" She tapped the branch, laughing. "Jump in!"

"Leona, you're acting like…" Molik stopped, and grinned. She was acting happy. She was, in fact, happy. Ever since she went to the League, she kept her composure up, she smiled, but she had not smiled or laughed like this for what felt like an eternity. "This is very silly, Leona!"

"So what?" she called back. Leona splashed the water around her, nearly losing her grip. "At this point, who cares? Let's just go with the flow!"

"That's an awful pun."

"So what! If this amounts to nothing, might as well start laughing about it now rather than crying about it later!" Leona motioned to Molik, "Jump in!"

"What about the paper, and the pencils and stuff?"

"Get another branch to hang it on,  _then_  come in!"

Molik rolled his eyes and burst out into his own fit of laughter. "You're being impossible!"

"Jump iiiiin! I command you, jump in this frigid water and let's go sailing!"

Molik finally relented. He looked around, found a suitable forked branch to hang his bag off of, and jumped into the water. He let out a high pitched squeal from the coldness of the water, then looked behind him. It seemed that the river started at the base of the cliff they had descended. An underground spring of some sort?

"Ready?"

"W-wait, wait, l-let me g-g-get a grip." Molik said with his teeth chattering from the cold. He grabbed onto the branch, his hand brushing with Leona's, then confirmed, "All-all-alright. r-r-ready."

Leona gave the branch a hard tug, and they started to float down the river. No jagged rocks, but plenty of forks in the river itself. Each time they came to a fork, despite how hard they may have wanted to fight the current, for some strange reason, it would always pull them southeastwards. Leona confirmed this when she dug out the compass from Molik's bag. Even when it came to fiercer, more powerful rapids that they should have been pulled into, they were veered away. The two Solaris bobbed down the river, slowly making a descent for nearly half an hour when the mouth of a cavern opened up towards them. Molik started to become agitated, and he motioned to Leona for the two of them to abandon the branch, but she stayed put, still smiling.

And the moment the darkness swallowed them, they felt a sudden change in angle, and they went rushing down into the cave. Leona started to shine to give them light, and revealed how low the rock ceiling was. As water sloshed over their heads, Molik sputtered, "If-if-if you talk to Diana again, you'll ask her how the heck she managed to get to this place that didn't involve suicide!"

"Will do!"

The strong waters eventually spat them out, and they were surrounded by daylight again. Leona's features only brightened, Molik could see why: Just scant kilometers away, a marble temple next to a lake could be seen. A lake that this river, as Molik looked around and saw, was one of many that led to this basin. Thick forestry seemed to blockade the banks, and in moments, the river finally dumped them in the lake. Leona grabbed the end of the branch and swam towards the lake's bank where she saw a large cypress tree hanging its branches over the water. Once her feet touched sand, she sloshed out of the water, her laughter filling the air with every step she took.

The Lunari temple was polished, cleaned. Someone had taken a lot of hours out of their day to clean the exterior of the entire temple. No more ivy, no moss, it looked almost brand new. If it had not, then finding the temple would have easily taken days, maybe even months of searching. How had Diana found it so quickly? Perhaps that was one thing that was changed in the Judgement, but Leona did not care at the moment. For now, she just wanted to bask in the glory, and think on one thought:

She did it.

Leona slumped to the ground and looked up at the sky, beyond tired, soaked to the bone, and allowed her own light to shine and warm her. "Let's dry up before we enter the temple."

Molik would have argued, but he was too tired to. He walked over, and fell face first next to Leona. "What's going to happen if Diana catches us?"

"She will."

"How do you know?"

Leona fell quiet and closed her eyes. "...I'm going to wait here for her, Molik."

He shot her a scared glance, and mumbled incoherently.

"It will be alright, Molik, she will not harm me."

"Leona, she may kill y-"

"Molik. This is not up for discussion." Leona took a very deep breath in, and seemed to exhale all of her worries. "I need to do this...alone."

Molik stood up and started to pace back and forth. "Leona, I can't let you do this. You can't stay here, she's crazy! She  _will_  kill you!"

"Molik-"

"No! No, Leona! We found the temple, you can tell her as such, you're not staying!" Molik crossed his arms, his voice raised in volume in his attempt to sound commanding. "Your safety is the most important! I won't let you endanger yourself, not anymore! First with the sleepless nights, and the guilt, and-"

"The guilt came first."

Molik's mouth snapped shut. Leona smiled at him, moisture starting to build at the corners of her eyes. "Ever since the Rite of Kor, guilt took its seat within me. It has never left me, Molik. I need to do this because I need to not fail her. I can't fail her, like I failed you, or the others. How many Rites of Kor have passed since I joined the Solari? How many more have died and no one has objected to it, no one has stood up to them, including me? I need to help her, Molik, because she will help change everything if I can. If the Sun and the Moon can work together once more, then maybe, just maybe, things can change for the better."

"But...the moon...it's…"

"Why are they heretics, Molik?" Leona pressed. "What was their atrocity? What had they done to deserve extinction?"

"Obviously something that they deserved," he shot back, refusing to falter. "The Solari wouldn't-"

"They allow the Rite of Kor to continue, Molik, to this day. They act in my name, when I told them to do  _nothing_. I did not tell them to do what they did to Diana, yet they claim to do so. Do you understand, Molik? You calling me Leona, you have  _no_  idea how happy this makes me." Leona stood up and walked over to Molik. She wrapped her arms around him and drew him in close with her embrace. "I have a responsibility to everyone in the Solari, to do the best I can for them. And I cannot help but think that maybe...just a little...Diana's intentions were right."

"...What…?"

"Not her actions, her  _intentions_. You didn't see, Molik. She was in the same position as I was in, and in my own League judgement...I…" Leona swallowed hard. It was a condition set by the League themselves to never, under any circumstance, impart what happened to one's self in a Judgement. "I was angry, for many years because the sun was needed to save me. When the sun didn't save me in my judgement, I was stabbed. He would have killed me, Molik, I believe that, and so I fought back. I fought  _back_. Everyone would have watched me die, no one would have moved, and I would have been forgotten, dust, if the sun had not come. And so...instead of lying down, and dying, I...I fought back. I didn't want to die."

"Diana killed the Elders! Our people have suffered because of her! They are unsure, scared of what she will bring! She-"

"I need you to trust me."

"You're trying to talk to a literal psycho! She tries to kill you every League match!"

"And so has Pantheon when he is on the opposing side," Leona shot back. "It doesn't matter, Molik, it so doesn't matter. What is past has passed. We need to focus on the present for the future."

Molik gripped Leona tighter. Tears started to stream down his face. "You can't talk to her, Leona, You won't be able to convince her. She-"

"Trust me, Molik. I am not asking you to trust her, I am asking you to trust me in my judgement. That is why I'm sending you back. If I do not return by tomorrow evening, contact the League and have them send for me."

Molik reached for his sword and started to pull it free. "Take my blade, you'll-"

"No weapons. I will not have her think I am here to fight her."

"Leona...Leona…" he sobbed. "Why? Why are you doing this? Aren't you happy with how things are? If you want to change the Rite of Kor, why don't you just do it?"

"Because it is not just for the Rite of Kor. This is what is best for the people, Molik. If I can talk to her, if I can bring her back, then our people will flourish. This is my responsibility as a leader. Just because it has worked in the past, does not mean it will work forever." Leona released her friend and stepped away from him. "Do you think the Rite of Kor is just?"

Molik was taken back by the question. He was unsure how to respond. "I…"

"Do you think what they did to you, and to me, was  _right_?" Leona lifted her hands up in a pleading gesture. "Pitting you against me, was that  _right_? We grew up together, Molik. I've known you since we were eight years old. Do you remember our group? You, Pantheon, Xera, Kalikos, Helen, Plaeto, Miniskrotes, Andramache, Hector, Achilas, the twins Castux and Poller, and me. Tell me Molik, how many of them live?"

Molik bowed his head, he did not reply.

"Andy and Hector, they  _loved_  one another. And Andy killed him. She killed him...How much longer did she live after that day?"

"...She committed suicide three days later."

"And we watched her kill him. We watched, and did  _nothing_. Do you think this is right, Molik? This has never sat well with me, not then, not now. That's why I defied them, and what happened when I did?"

"I...I…" He could feel his heart caught in his throat. "It's...how...tradition…"

Leona clasped her hands together, and said, "I was alone once, Molik. I need people who will support me, and what I want to do, for the better of all of us. Can you support me? Will you stand by me?"

"I…" Molik looked away. He could not look her in the eyes. "...I...I will do...what...is needed…For you."

Leona let out a breath of relief. She smiled and patted his back. "Thank you, Molik. That's all I wanted to hear."

His body started to convulse. He clamped his hands over his face.

"Tomorrow evening, if you do not come back, I will come with hell at my heels," he barked. "Don't die, Leona. Promise me you won't."

"I will not, Molik. I promise."

Leona held the compass out to Molik and waited for him to take it. He snatched it from her hand, checked the direction, then took off running.

Leona took a breath in, then looked at the temple. She checked her clothings, still a little wet, but dry enough to not drip everywhere, then started to walk towards it. Her light still shone for the last remnants of moisture. She ascended the stairs, walked past the colonnades, and when she stepped in, her breath was taken away.

The main aisle had a row of Lunari artifacts lining it on both sides. Various armors, robes, ceremonial weapons and items of worship, there was no end to their sight. At the very end, she could see the altar that was positioned near an opening in the structure. One could assume that the altar was angled for the best view of the moon at its apex. Leona looked all about, and saw frescos depicting the fall of the Lunari, with the Lunari avatar on the ground, the look of pain and betrayal in her face with the Solari avatar towering over her. What struck Leona about this scene, aside from the look of betrayal, was the helmets the two women wore. Leona was never aware that her ceremonial armor had a missing piece, but here it was, evidence in front of her.

Another scene had the burning of the Lunari at the stake, their faces contorted and twisted in pain with a crowd watching passively. Scenes upon scenes decorated the far walls, but something caught Leona's eye. In the frescoes, each and every one of them had a singular tile that glittered. They seemed to make a path, and as she followed it back to herself, she saw the marble floor also had these dulled, golden tiles, barely visible to the naked eye. If she was not shining as brightly as she was, then it would have been easily missed by anyone else.

Leona broke away from the main aisle, and started to follow what seemed to be a trail. She walked until it came to an abrupt stop at the fresco depicting the Lunari avatar's death. One last piece of gold tiling composed the tip of the Solari avatar's sword. Leona's eye followed it, and on the floor, a glint of silver was seen.

Leona knelt down and tapped the stone the tile was embedded in and a hollow ring echoed.

"Hollow?"

Leona's curiosity took hold of her. Her fingers dug at the sides of the stone, but could not get a proper grip. She looked around and saw the nearest sharp object: a ceremonial dagger, shaped like a crescent moon. Leona walked over, took the weapon off of its pedestal, then went back to the silver tile. She dug into the floor, puffs of ancient plaster and dust exploding. After several minutes of prying, the floor caved in and nearly took Leona with it. She managed to back away in time, and saw the blocks of marble collapse into a hole.

"...And this is when Diana walks in…" she muttered, her heart feeling as though it wanted to explode out of her chest.

Leona stood up and peeked into the hole, and gasped in shock. The marble blocks fell upon and cracked against what looked like a sarcophagus.

* * *

It was night by the time Diana arrived at the Lunari temple. Her armor and her crescent blade were still wet with blood. Spending so many hours in the League, and then her nightly patrols, it was a taxing day to say the least. It did not help that LeBlanc's words still rang in her ears. They echoed her own thoughts, her own doubts and conclusions, and she could not help but think: Why? Why had she given Leona such a choice? There was no point. Diana knew what Leona would choose. She looked at the lake, and saw a half dozen elk, a few deers, some goats and a gaggle of geese all at the lake, with a pack of gray wolves happily lounging around the base of the cypress tree. The tranquility and serenity of this place was eerie to say the least. It looked untouched, unspoiled by anything.

Diana walked towards the animals who did not seem perturbed by her appearance. The wolves' ears twitched, the vicious looking creatures standing up and their yellow, haunting eyes all fixated on her. She stretched her hand out, and the wolves all rushed her at once. No gnashing of teeth, no anger, they stopped when they were near her feet and rolled over, exposing their bellies to her.

Diana knew what they were supplicating to her for. Her hand made a swishing sound as she pointed at a deer. The wolves howled happily, got to their feet and ran for the marked beast. The other animals backed away the doomed deer, and before the majestic creature could react, the wolves tore away at her. No cries of pain, no sighs or groan, the deer allowed the wolves to devour it without so much a whimper.

The wolves returned, their lips crimson, and sat in front of Diana with meat hanging out of their mouths. The alpha of the pack dropped the slab of bloodied flesh in front of her, offering her something to eat. Diana nodded and said, "Wait."

Her flint and tinder was inside the temple. With long, confident strides, she made her way towards the building. As she ascended its steps, a strange warmth washed over her. It was different from the calmness that the moon always provided her, it was one she had not felt in what felt like years. An almost forgotten sensation.

Diana shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of this odd feeling, but when her eyes opened rage seized her heart. She was in the temple now and the moon shined on everything inside, including the giant hole in the temple's floor, and the pedestal with the missing dagger.

"Who would dare-?" she started to say, but stopped when she saw who was sitting at the foot of the altar. Diana was taken back, more surprised than anything else to see her of all people. She could not form the words needed to ask the simple question: How?

Leona's body stirred, as though she had just woken up. She seemed to be holding something in her hands, but it was hard to discern what she held because of the shadows her body cast over it. Leona looked up at Diana and attempted to smile at her.

"Diana."

" _Leona_ …" a low growl of irritation was all she could muster. Diana started to walk towards Leona. Lunar energy started to surround her blade, and Diana's stride quickened. Why was Leona here? What was the purpose of vandalizing the temple? How long had she been here for? Who else knew? Who else was here? Too many questions, only one answer.

As Diana neared, Leona stood up and a loud clang was heard. The Lunari dagger fell out of her lap, and the Moonlit Knight's advance stopped. Twice in the same minute, she was rendered speechless.

In the pale moonlight, Diana saw what Leona held: Two helmets. One of the Solari, one of the Lunari, the very same ones depicted in the fresco.

"Can we talk, Diana?"

Diana glared at Leona, her hand gripping her weapon tighter than ever before.

"Please?"


	9. In The Twilight

The minutes whittled away. Diana kept her weapon poised, ready to strike while the two women stared at one another, neither of them flinching. Neither of them were going to give the other any quarter. Leona had no weapons, no armor, no way to defend herself unless she thought all she needed was the sun on her side, and the Moonlit Knight knew that even the sun can be eclipsed. The questions that plagued Diana was what kept her hand at bay. She was not sure how to respond to this situation before her. Her temple was defiled, but new information was presented. Leona was here, but how? Did it matter?

"Talk," the Lunari avatar said, her weapon not wavering.

"Put the weapon down, D-"

"No."

"I'm not here to fight you."

"Then why are you here?"

"I just want to talk."

"I am not stopping you from talking. Talk."

Leona's voice ever so slightly became sterner. "Diana,  _please_ put the weapon down."

"Why should I?"

"Because I am not your enemy. I am not your foe…" Leona's body shook with a snort and a chuckle, followed by a small grin spreading across her lips. "At least, that's what I tell myself. I don't believe us to be enemies, but how long have you thought otherwise?"

Diana raised an eyebrow, tilted her head slightly forward, and waited for Leona to continue speaking.

"Am I your enemy, Diana?"

"Not yet you are not."

"Liar."

Diana's eyes snapped wide open. Her lip pulled back as she let out a low snarl.

This did not deter Leona. She placed the helmets on the ground in front of her, the metal clacking against the marble floor. Leona pointed at the Lunari weapon and said, "If I am not your enemy, why are you pointing this at me?" The Solari avatar took a step towards the tip of the blade. "Are you going to skewer me? Is that what you're aiming to do? Will this be your response to everything that angers you?"

"What are  _you_  doing here, Leona?"

"I wanted to talk to Diana, but it seems that I cannot." Leona shook her head to and fro, her eyes never moving from the Lunari avatar's line of sight. "I've always been your enemy, haven't I?"

Diana had to take a step back or else Leona would have skewered herself at the end of her blade. She had to back away at the same pace the Solari avatar advanced. Why was she moving away?

"No. You and I do not have to be enemies, all you have to do is side with  _me_ , and we can put the past behind us."

"Whose blood do you wear, Diana?" Leona demanded while quickening her pace. "The very moment I saw you in your room, you wanted to kill me. Every moment of your life, all you ever wanted was an excuse, didn't you? Everything we ever shared, we ever did, all of that was a lie, wasn't it? This is who you've always wanted to be. There was never a choice, there was never a chance for us to repair the bridge, it was all a lie."

"How dare you?" the Moonlit Knight snarled, her blood rushing to her face. "I never lied to you."

"If you did not lie, then why..." Leona's voice increased in volume with frustration stoking the fire. "Why did you not see me?"

"What?"

"Instead of running away, instead of fleeing the temple, instead of butchering everyone, instead of doing all of the destruction you did, instead of disappearing, why did you not come to see me?" Leona struck her chest, her voice sinking as her quiet anger finally boiled to the surface. "You admitted to me yourself: You blamed  _me_. What would have happened if you found me? What would I have done if you came to me for help? Not that night, not that week, but in the month, the month after, in all of the time between that day and your arrival at Institute, you could have seen me. We could have spoken. Every single day, I did not know what to think, how to act, how to respond in the situation, because  _you_  never gave me a chance to do so. Because  _you_  assumed."

"I-"

"Why did you not see me, Diana? Why, why why  _why_ , did you not?" Leona reached out and batted away the tip of the Lunari weapon away. Diana repositioned her weapon and kept it pressed against Leona's neck. Just one twitch, and it would be over. And yet she hesitated.

"You blamed me. You said that you believed it to be my fault what had happened to you, for the judgement that was passed. Why would you ever think that? Why would you ever believe that unless you  _never_  trusted me?"

"You betrayed me first."

"And how many times do I have to say it, Diana? I. Am. Sorry!" Leona took a step forward, a bright yellow line appearing on her neck, the golden blood trickled out and quickly turned crimson. She was still human. "What do you want me to do? What is it that I can do to make you understand?"

"Join m-"

"Listen to yourself!" Leona yelled, accompanied by a burst of light erupting from her. She could see the smoldering anger in Diana's eyes as the temple lit up. "What is this nonsense? You are sounding  _exactly_  like the ones you claim to have discriminated against you! I can't join your mindset, Diana. I refuse to because I will not join  _their_  mindset either! I am not you, I will not approve of your actions, I cannot forsake everything again because then your goal and my goals, and what we have done for them, will have been all for naught! But that does not mean we cannot be allies!"

The drip dropping of blood told the passage of time, the stain on Leona's toga becoming ever larger from its former droplet size.

"You want me to leave behind the Solari, to leave everything and everyone behind  _again_. I  _know_  your intention, Diana, and I cannot, nor will I do such a thing! I can't,  _I_  am their leader, they are  _my_  responsibility, I can't abandon them! You cannot nor will you ask me to do such a thing!"

"Why not, Leona? They abandoned me without a care. My own father held the knife meant for my throat. These are the people you want to serve? Their mindsets have been passed on to the new generations of Solari, they will not change." Diana dragged her blade towards her, cutting ever so slightly deeper into the Solari avatar's neck. "What do  _you_  owe them? Your power? Your prestige? Is that why you desire to serve those corrupted vermin?"

Diana paid no attention to her words, or the weight behind them at this point. "I'm not surprised, really. You already abandoned everyone else in your pursuits, of course you would respond in such a way."

Diana could see Leona took a breath in, pull away from Diana's crescent blade and turned her back to the Moonlit knight. She walked towards the helmets, knelt down and picked them up. Tucking them under her arms, Leona walked past Diana without saying a single word. All that screamed in her mind were the same words over and over again, ' _Hypocrite, hypocrite, hypocrite, hyp-_ '

"I still call you Leona."

This stopped Leona. Her shoulders quaked. Anger?

"I still call you Leona. I still see  _you_. This is the only reason why I bothered to give you that offer in the first place." Diana snorted and shook her head, disappointed with the answer she had received. "Will you really force my hand?"

"If you will kill your wounded friend, who is unarmed and only spoke to you, then do it."

Diana swiveled her blade about, waiting to see if Leona was serious.

"Do it, Diana. What are you waiting for? Do you want me to attack you? To belittle you? To instigate you, to justify your actions?" Leona turned around and glared at the Moonlit Knight. "Fine. I will."

Diana's arm rose above her head, as though she were expected a beam of sunlight to crash down and attempt to fry her.

"You are right, it was my pursuits. Do you know  _why_  I was taken away from the Rakkor?"

"Of course. You went against their traditions. You went against your society. What changed you?"

"Failure did."

This generated a response from Diana: confusion. Her face barely betrayed it, but it could be seen.

"Failure? You speak of this once more?"

"And I will always speak of it when I am asked to justify my actions. When I was growing up alongside Pantheon and Molik, there were others. We were a group, of twenty children. I was…" Leona laughed and pressed her bloodied hand against her face. She winced from the pain and allowed her arm to hang at her side, leaving a bloody handprint on her forehead. "I guess you could say I was the mother. Pantheon was the father, and Molik...was him. I could fight as well as any Rakkor, my hand to hand expertise was decent, but I did not believe in mindless violence, and I always went out of my way to protect our group. The weakest, the most gentle, the ones who could sing, dance, the children who did not care for warfare, that is who we were. And we took care of them. We watched over them. Out of those twenty, Diana, how many of them lived?"

"You, Pantheon and Molik," Diana affirmed. "Maybe another one or t-"

"More than a hundred children die every single Rite of Kor. I watched them butcher each other. I sat there, and watched Pantheon gut an old rival of his, letting entrails splash onto him. I did  _nothing_ , and I lost my baker that day."

' _Baker?'_  Diana thought to herself, mildly amused by the image of Pantheon wearing an apron though she did not show it.

"I watched them pit siblings against one another, and I watched sisters weep as they killed their own flesh, brothers kill themselves shortly afterwards. Some of them were stopped in time by the presiding elders, and dragged off the fields kicking and screaming, demanding they be killed. The entire event was a  _slaughter_  of their souls."

Leona's voice hit a new volume, her strong tone finally cracked, "I watched my friends kill one another! I stood there and watched them slaughter one another! I watched! And when it was my turn, I said no! And in my last moments, I begged, I hoped with all of my heart that my death would be painless!" She grabbed the Lunari helmet and heaved it at Diana, not bothering to watch the arc it flew in. "I was not in danger from them! Not from the man pointing the sword at me, from Pantheon who stood at my side and waited patiently for my death, not from Molik who wept on the ground and begged me with those big eyes to fight back, but from myself! The sun had to save me from myself!"

Diana watched the helmet sail towards her and hit the ground at her feet, bouncing twice before it rolled behind her. Not all of it was new information to her, but one thought sparked in her mind. "Are these the ones you spoke of before; all those years ago?"

"Hundreds of children, Diana, that Kor alone. And then hundreds in the next one, and the next one, and the next one." A mock-filled laugh escaped Leona's throat. "I failed them all. _They_  are who I speak of whenever I speak of my failures."

Diana rested the tip of her blade on the ground in front of her, staring at Leona. "Then what do you expect from me?"

"I hope I don't list you as another failure of mine, Diana." Leona let out a low, hollow laugh. "Do you hear that?" she asked, choking back emotion. "I called you Diana just now, and every time before. You call me Leona, I call you Diana. Not enemy, not foe, you are Diana to me, you are the avatar of the Lunari. All you need to do, is just, you can trust me...just, just this once, trust me and  _listen_  to my words."

"There is only one way I will trust you: If I can call you Leona, and not the Radiant Dawn, not the Solari avatar, just Leona. You said no. What now?"

Leona placed the helmet of the Solari onto her head. "Then we repeat the same tragedy our predecessors did. Then we continue the cycle of hatred, of failure, of ignorance, except this time…" Once she made sure she affixed the helmet properly, the Solari Avatar raised her arms to her sides, widened her stance and tilted her head back. "You will kill me."

"Excuse you?"

"I will ask you only once more, Diana: Whose blood do you wear?"

Diana reached up at her armor, wiping the blood off of her chestpiece. "Noxian soldiers."

"Why?"

"They were attempting to harass Demacian travelers. If it were not for me, then the Demacians would have been killed, enslaved, or worse." The Moonlit Knight stared at the crimson staining her hand while asking, "Does that make me a monster? If I did not act, they would have died. Am I a monster for my actions?"

"You did not have to kill them."

"Th-"

"It takes more skill to disarm an opponent than to kill one," Leona interrupted. "Killing should be only used as an absolute last resort. Did you have to kill the Elders? Did you have to kill your father? Do you want me to answer this question?"

Diana whipped her free hand forward, motioning to Leona to continue speaking while she said, "Be my guest, answer the question, why not, let's hear your answer and let us all fawn over it. Let us all just accept  _your_  answer for every question in life. En _lighten_  me."

"You did not have to."

Before Diana could say anything else, Leona continued, "But I can see why you did, and I do not fault you for that. I do  _not_  fault you. But Diana, this has to stop. You don't have to be alone. Knock knock, Diana."

"Seriously? You're seriously g-"

"KNOCK. KNOCK," Leona bellowed, sunlight flooding out from her and filled the entire temple.

How odd, that the entire Lunari temple reflected the sunlight so perfectly that it made it seem like daytime. Diana gripped her weapon so tightly that her knuckles popped, she had to turn away from the blinding light. By the time she realized it, arms were wrapped around her. Leona took the cover of sunlight to attack her? How underhanded. How...uncharacteristic.

Diana raised her weapon, squinting in her effort to look directly at the Solari avatar when she heard Leona speak, "You don't have to be alone. We can do this, Diana, if you and I both compromise. Please, Diana, let us compromise, please let the punchline be the sun and the moon, not you were alone the whole time. I wish I saw it earlier. I thought I did, but I was blind. I'm so sorry, Diana, but please,  _please_  don't be as blind as I was. Don't make us repeat the failures of the past."

The light died down, Leona was hugging Diana around her waist, her face resting on the Lunari avatar's shoulder. Diana could feel the entire weight of the Solari woman pressing down on her, using her as an aide to stand up. She was tired, her journey was long, fatiguing. Diana could even feel the small amount of dampness that still clung to Leona. This close to her, she could even smell her scent from her hair, it always had hints of cinnamon within it. It was so familiar, so warm, her stomach started to churn, Diana could feel revulsion? No, it wasn't revulsion. Diana could feel her mind fogging, thoughts creeping in, her hand gripping the Lunari blade shook.

Her hand, it shook? Impossible.

With a deep breath, Diana lowered her weapon and asked, "Where did you find the helmets, Leona?"

The Solari Avatar drew back and looked over at the hole in the ground she had made earlier. "Follow me," she stated while walking, blood still dripping from the shallow cut on her neck.

"Stop."

Leona looked behind and saw Diana reach over with her blade, aiming for her neck. She did not move as the hooked tip lowered and caught the corner of her toga's sleeve. A light pull tore through the fabric, and the Lunari avatar walked over to Leona's side. Grabbing one of the torn pieces, she ripped it off and pressed it onto Leona's hand. "Stop your bleeding. It may get on my floor."

Leona loosely tied the purple fabric around her neck so as to not choke herself. Diana reached up, adjusted the position of the knot, and stepped back.

"Can't even tie a knot properly," she said with an exaggerated grunt. Diana gave Leona's shoulder an awkward tap in her attempt to prompt the Solari avatar to walk once more. She nodded her thanks and made her way towards the hole.

Leona's body started to shine, illuminating the hole, and revealing to Diana what was hidden underneath the temple: A sarcophagus.

Its lid was pulled back, and there was nothing in it but ancient Solari text.

"How did you find this temple, Diana?"

Diana glanced at Leona, shook her head, and could not help but mock her. "I threw a rock in a direction and ran after it. It worked after then fifty seventh try."

"Through ancient Solari texts that were made accessible  _only_ after the Avatar's death to the rest of the council. Before that, only the Solari avatar could access it."

"That means someone on the council was formerly a Lunari mem…"

Diana stopped, and fell quiet. That was impossible. Almost every single murals that lined the walls depicted some sort of witch hunt for the Lunari. They were wiped out completely. How could a single member get by the eyes of the avatar? How lucky could they have been? In fact...how were the murals even made? It would take a lot of time, a lot of effort, to do so in secret.

"And it occurred to me, Diana, when was the last Solari avatar?"

"Before you? Centuries ago."

"And how long would you say it would take for our society to forget about the Lunari's existence?"

Diana stared at Leona long and hard, wanting to say the first thing that came to mind, ' _You are an idiot_ ', except, it held  _some_  water.

Leona pointed downwards and asked, "Can you read it aloud, Diana? Please?"

The Moonlit avatar jumped down into the sarcophagus, seeing the lid had been pushed to the side into a perfect slot, and she wondered who could have done all of this.

"In here lies my Sin." Diana cocked her head and attempted to re-read it several times. "No, that is a long e. See-en? Ever since her light faded from the world, so did mine. For what I had done, there is no redemption. If not even Solarus will forgive me, why should I forgive myself?"

Diana looked further down the scratchings on the sarcophagus and saw strikes upon strikes It filled every nook, every crevice, they overlapped one another as though they were done in a panicked frenzy at times. Her fingers rubbed against a black stain, it crumbled and a rotted copper whiffed upwards.

Eventually she found the rest of the text, located approximately where one's feet would be if they lied down within the tomb, and started to read once more.

"I had to do it. I had to do it, I kept telling myself that, but oh Solarus, oh Lunara, what had I done? The moment her light faded, I lost my Shield. I lost my Sin. In here I have laid to rest our masks, so that I could see as I once did before. All I can do is here and now, swear that I will make this right one day. Albina."

Diana went quiet. She rolled the inscription in her head again and again.

"Look at the mural, Diana," Leona interrupted, pointing at the far one on the wall. It depicted the Solari avatar standing over the Lunari avatar, the latter spread out and turned upwards, her face full of betrayal, while the Solari kept her blade readied to strike her down.

"I've been thinking about: If the Solari avatar killed the Lunari avatar, how is the armor here? How did you find the weapon? Who would be able to take these artifacts and have no one question them? Who would be able to know the location of the Lunari temple and be able to adjust the Solari texts without fear? Who, Diana?" Leona turned and stared at the back of Diana, the Moonlit knight not moving or responding. "She made a mistake, Diana."

"Sh…" Diana started to say, but stopped herself. What was this? Why did her chest heave, what was this welling?

"Diana, we don't have to make the same mistake our predecessors did. We don't have to repeat the tragedy. We don't have to, Diana, just say-"

"Say what? I'll join you?"

"No. Not that you will join me." The Solari avatar extended her hand out to the Lunari avatar, her arm shaking. "That you'll join Leona. That together, we can make things right. We don't have to be separate, but you don't have to be alone. All you have to do, is to trust me. I don't want to lose you, Diana. You can't wash the blood, I can't either, but together, we can make things right."

Diana stood up with the slowness of a glacier. Leona's light dimmed away and allowed the Moonlit knight to bathe in the lunar beams.

"Please."

Diana did not respond.

"Please, Diana. Please. Please, please,  _please_ , Diana."

* * *

Molik sat on the footsteps of the destroyed Solari temple, staring at his hands. What should he do? What should he do? Leona trusted him. What was he about to do?

"Iron Solari Molik? Are you available, son?"

He palmed his face and nodded. "I-I am, Elder Alexios. I am."

Alexios reached down, patted Molik's shoulder and motioned with a nudge of his head to follow him up the stairs. Molik followed, his head hung low. He watched his feet drag across the marble and nearly trip him with every other step.

Once they reached the top, Molik saw the other members of the Council there, waiting for him. The stone rubble was still piled high, and the stains of blood still marked the ground.

"This is what will happen if the heretics return, Molik: Complete destruction. You remember the teachings."

"I remember them, Elders, I do. That the Heretics wanted to bring down the Solari down to their level, and they were twisting the hearts of men and women, and by seducing them, they nearly destroyed our society," Molik said in his best attempt to choke back his emotion. "I remember, but, Elders, it's Leona. It-"

"The  _Avatar_  has obviously been corrupted. The traditions and laws were not set for the sake of humor, Iron Solari Molik. If she-"

"Maybe she should break them!" he yelled back. And just like that, the atmosphere changed. Molik could taste the anger. He refused to falter. "The Rite of K-"

"Is a tradition set by the Rakkor for millennia, and we cannot change it. It has  _always_  served us effectively: We have not been lost to invaders this entire time because of such laws and traditions."

"But with the Inst-"

"The Institute will fall, Molik. And when it does, war  _will_  return."

Elder Alexios shook his head, and the other members of the council mimicked his action, all of them letting Molik know their universal disapproval.

"I can't betray her...I can't."

"She is not seeing the larger issue, M-"

"I will not  _betray_  Leona again!"

The Council of Elders waited for Molik to settle himself, and when he had, Alexios said, "We will not hurt the Avatar, Molik."

"Swear it."

"Why would we harm our own Avatar? The Iron Solari will be mobilized as they once were to purge the Heresiarch and her followers, and we will help purify the Avatar."

"Purify? Define it, and swear you will not harm Leona."

"She will be stripped of her powers and her title until she is deemed fit to bear the regalia again, Molik. We are not going to harm her."

"Swear. It."

"Why do you not tr-"

"I need to hear the words!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "I need to hear the words, that this is the best choice for her. That this is what will help her, that this is what she needs!"

"Iron Solari Molik...her needs do not matter. It is the needs of this," Alexios said while sweeping his hand all around the city. From their vantage point, they could see every building, every home that the Solari called home. "The reason why the Solari are here is because we consider ourselves not just warriors, but scholars. Our avatar is not only our symbol, as you know: She is the ultimate form of defense for us. If all else fails, she will succeed. And she cannot if she is tainted. You understand your duty, and hers, extends beyond one another. Your duty is to the people, Molik."

Molik cupped his face, shook his head and looked away. "All of my brethren, we swore our loyalty to the Avatar."

"And the Avatar is aiming to doom us. If you do not show us where the temple is, then you will have to kill her."

"Her?"

"The Avatar."

Molik went cold. He shook. No one could kill Leona. They could not kill her. The Elders failed to kill Diana, and she was weaker than Leona. But...they were older. The Iron Solari was composed of the finest warriors of the Solari. Even though they numbered fewer than three hundred bodies, they were said to be as capable an army as all of the legions of Rakkor. And Leona...she wouldn't kill them. She wouldn't, he knew that.

Oh Gods...Leona. Leona, I'm sorry.

* * *

"This week…" Diana started, shutting her eyes as tightly as she could. She did not want to say the words. She did not trust Leona. She could not, Leona betrayed her. Do not make this mistake. Do not do it.

"Diana…"

"You promise me, that it is Leona and Diana trying to make things right?"

"Yes, Diana. Yes, just like old times. You and me, we can do it."

Diana's shoulders quaked. Damn her. "I will be escorting my followers to this temple, to make it their permanent residence. Promise me their safety. Promise me that no harm will come upon them from the Solari or the Rakkor."

"I promise."

The Moonlit knight stood up, turned around and looked at Leona. She cracked a smile. Diana actually cracked a smile. "Very well, Leona. One chance."

Diana took Leona's offered hand, and allowed the Solari avatar to pull her upwards. "For now, you need some rest. Let me escort you to the living quarters."

"This temple has living quarters?"

"It was built into the actual mountain itself. Completely fascinating."

Before either woman could take a step, a loud rumbling roared out from Leona. She coughed, scratched the back of her head and said, "I ah...Haven't...eaten anything."

"Food first then. I have not eaten either. You are not picky about freshly caught meat, are you?"

"Not particularly. That sounds appetizing, really. Why do you ask?"

"No reason."

Diana motioned with a nudge of her head towards the entrance of the temple, and the two women walked together with the same cadence. Unbeknownst to Diana on the back of her dark silver chest plate, the surface cracked, and an ash colored flake drifted downwards. It revealed a patch of brilliant silver, the size of a fingertip, that had been hidden away.

The moment Leona and Diana were completely out of sight, behind the Lunari altar, on the floor, a certain map started to spark with tiny blitzes of violet magic. A rich purple colored butterfly fluttered upwards, rested itself atop of the altar, bathing in the moonlight for a few seconds, then disappeared with a light laugh.


	10. Equinox

Equinox

 Three days. It had been three days since she and Diana spoke. It felt like forever since Leona had experienced such a peaceful rest, and to wake up without worry or fear.The bags of fatigue that had once hung under her eyes were now gone without a trace, any unease felt nothing more than a distant memory. She leaned against her window frame, her shoulder resting against the glass, and allowed herself to bask in the radiant dawn.

 To be able to bask like this, to be allowed to feel like this, it had been...so many years, in all honesty. To feel _this_ much at ease. She allowed herself to relish in the moment just a bit more, staring out from her window, before pulling herself away. Leona had duties to attend to.

 When Leona’s door swung open, she was greeted with an empty hallway. A little odd, but there had to be good reason for this. Where were her Iron Solari guards? As she walked down the halls and into the open, she noticed the streets were empty as well. It was a little odd, yes, but most people were not awake by this point, usually.  Leona, dressed in the Solari regalia, made her way down the sidewalk. The homes and roads just started to become visible thanks to the sun when she finally found a pair of Iron Solari round the corner during their patrol route.

 “Avatar,” they said as they gave her a salute and continued their march.

 Leona returned the gesture and continued her stroll. Morning prayer would not be for another half hour, but today her presence was needed at the League. She ascended the stairs to the ruined Solari temple, which despite it being in the throes of repairs, was still used for their ceremonies. As she twisted her shield out of the way of the half-finished door, she was greeted with the entire Iron Solari vanguard, as many Solari citizens that could squeeze in along with the Elders.

 She walked down the aisle and made her way to the altar, ready to start the sermon. It always began and ended with the Solari creed. Her voice rang loud and clear,

 

"Ask not why the sun rises

why he bathes all in his light

why his glory shines on all

when all who gaze skyward know his might.

For songs rise the slumbering sun

As dark to day does turn

One simple truth we dare to speak:

For the light and warmth, we yearn

From the mountains of Solarus

to the darkest dale

Let the essence of Targon flow

And follow the huntress' bow

Brilliant Sun, purify their souls

The Heretics will never rise again."

 How bitter those words tasted. The crowd chanted it back without pause. Leona looked at all the people gathered before her. She wanted to tell them what she had found, as her hand rested atop the scripture. Her fingers had traced the words and her eyes the pages hundreds of times by now, after all, she had found the answers through the texts.

 What would they say if she just told them the truth?

 The way they went behind her back, what they had done to Diana, Leona could feel anger bubble within her. The room started to become more illuminated, shining far more brilliantly than any could reasonably withstand. Leona took a deep breath in, the light dimmed by a reasonable amount, and she started to read the morning mass.

 The mass was its standard two hours, and when it was concluded, Leona was always the first to leave, as per tradition. Her sabatons clanked against the stone stairs when a voice called out to her, “Avatar!”

 She turned around and beamed a smile at him. “Iron Solari Molik, how may I help you?”

 He stopped at her side and stared at her, her radiance eliminated all shadow, including those cast by the contours of his face and wrinkles because of her brilliance.. She could see that he seemed panicked about something.

 “Is something amiss?”

 “No, no, Avatar, nothing at all. I just…”

 The others started to leave the temple, the civilians making their way around the two, not coming too close to the Radiant Dawn, but those who did make eye contact shot her a quick smile before hurrying on to their homes or duties.

 “Do you trust me, Avatar?”

 “Of course I do,” Leona laughed. “Why?”

 “Maybe I should speak to the Elders about what you found, a-”

Leona interrupted him with a pat on his shoulder. “Not quite yet, Molik. I still need to work with _her_ a little more, I need her to trust me, I need to trust her, I need her to come here of her own accord.”

Molik’s lips trembled. “And what will happen if that day never comes?”

“I think it will come sooner rather than later, Molik,” Leona affirmed, her smile not wavering. “I trust her.”

“More than our Elders?”

“I cannot trust them so long as they let themselves be ruled by fear,” she replied without hesitation. Her hand slid upwards and cupped his cheek. “Which is why I can trust you, you dink. You’re not that little boy anymore, Molik.”

Leona pulled her hand away and marched down the rest of the stairs. “I will be at the Institute for the majority of today, who knows how they managed to book so many matches in a single day for me. I will be back in time for the equinox. See you then.”

Molik watched Leona become more and more distant, the words caught in his throat. He just had to say one thing, just one thing, but…

Leona walked outside the limits of the holy township and waited to be summoned. A blue light enveloped her, and in a flash she was gone. The chance was gone.

“Iron Solari Molik?”

He looked behind him and saw the Iron Solari Vanguard, and the Elders, all standing behind him. “Is there a problem?”

“N-no...No,” he sputtered, adjusting his helmet out of nerves rather than actual need.

“Then lead them, Molik,” Elder Alexandros said with a bow. “In the name of the Sun, you march.

“In the name of the Sun.”

The hundred Vanguards marched down Mount Targon and walked into the city of the Kor. The citizens were all awake now, tending to their farms and what not, but they were caught unaware by the appearance of the Iron Solari. They looked at one another, unsure what this meant, and the Solari Vanguard made no effort to state their purpose. As they marched through the streets, Molik could feel a pair of eyes watching him, staring at him, boring into his very soul. It unnerved him to the core. A familiar figure watched the march of men. His scarred face matched the gross scars on his body, his thick arms resting on the fence post. Molik made eye contact with him for just a second until he felt the urge to vomit. His hand came up to his face, and before he could empty his breakfast, a butterfly bumped into his nose. A purple owl-eyed butterfly, incredibly beautiful, and something he had never seen before. Any sense of nausea dissipated, and a strange euphoria filled his chest. It must be a lucky butterfly.

Molik poked it with his finger, urging it to step onto it, and when it did, rested the butterfly on his shoulder. A little luck never hurt anyone.

 

* * *

 

Diana leaned over the altar, a magnifying monocle that had been given to her from the Institute strapped over her right eye as she gently brushed the cracks and the crevices in its face. She placed the brush on the metal tray that laid on the floor, her fingers hovering over a selection of tools until she decided on a metal pick. Fatigue blurred her vision for a split second before she shook it off. Diana could ignore it for now, there was important work that needed to be done. Just before she started to scrape away at the surface a sharp yelp stopped her from continuing work.

Diana did not want to break from her work, but she had to see what had caused the sound. She stood up and walked down the aisle of the Lunari temple, her feet echoing with every step she took. Once outside the afternoon sun washed over her, she had to squint to fight through the brightness to look for the source of the sound.

A Demacian footsoldier sat next to a youth dressed in the clothes of Noxian military, roaring in laughter at the fish that jumped on the bank and was slapping the young man in his face.

“He’s being stupid,” a grouchy voice grumbled.

Diana looked down and stared at the Noxian soldier who stood on the foot of the stairs of the temple and waited for him to clarify.

“He’s spending too much time with that woman,” he growled. “Damn well will infect his head with Demacian stupidity. Not to mention the others.”

“What is a Demacian?”

The Noxian soldier glanced up at Diana, unsure if she was being intentionally factitious or if this was a serious question. She continued, “You are not Noxian here. They are not Demacian. You are united by belief, community of the same mind. Demacia, Noxus, mean nothing here. We are all people, servants of the Moon. You will do well to remember that.”

The Noxian snorted and grumbled incoherent curses audible only to himself.

“Is there something you need from me, Myron?” the Moonlit Knight demanded, since the Noxian soldier was not working alongside the others in the fields.

“Yeah, there is,” he replied with a grunt. Myron looked her in the eye as he told her, “Accordin’ to the farmer, with all th’extra help you enlisted, we’ll have an acre of ploughed in a few more hours. Y’should look into horses though, cause this is goin’ t’break backs. He’d also like to get back to his fields.”

Diana gave him a quiet nod as she descended another step, surveying the scenery about. The farmer and several Demacians and Noxians she had met in her travels were working in the fields. They hacked away at the overgrown vegetation and tilled the soil to prepare it for future production.

“The funds from the League should be enough, I’ll have to look into more... _modern_ , equipment,” she admitted. Diana removed the goggles and held it and the pick out to Myron. “Can you take this back inside? I will accompany Jed home and look into these matters. Though the question of how to transport it occurs...”

Diana knew that she could not see Leona within Mount Targon, it would be too soon, but she could contact her via the League. She had told Diana the other day that she would be having multiple matches today, so the safest bet would be to catch her inbetween fights. Maybe Leona had a solution, she knew more people in the League and was on friendlier terms with them.

“And what about th’horses? Some sorta beast that can help us actually work the fields.” The Noxian snorted once more and mumbled, “Gods know that I don’t know a damn thing about farmin’. Some animals would be nice to help.”

“I will look into them as well,” Diana replied as she descended the stairs. The Moonlit Knight gave a curt wave to the ploughers as she made her way towards the workers while Myron made his way into the temple. A purple butterfly landed on his shoulder, making him nearly leap out of his skin and crush it, his hand stayed only by the fact that he would have driven a pick into his shoulder.

“Gods you scared the crap out of me,” he laughed. “Almost pegged you as a danger.”

 

* * *

 

Leona left the lobby with Caitlyn at her right, Jayce at her left and Heimerdinger waddling behind them.

“It’s fine, Leona, it’s one-all,” Caitlyn reassured the flustered Solari Avatar. “They barely managed to get around us that last time because Rammus was being forced to go for that bloody top turret.”

“Nearly two hours,” Leona groaned, red shading her cheeks. “If only I caught onto their delay tactics sooner-”

Jayce gave the Radiant Dawn a hearty clap on her shoulder, silencing her. “You did everything in your power, it’s alright. It happens.”

“Oh! It’s you!” Heimerdinger exclaimed, waddling in front of the others with in a burst of speed.

Diana’s eyes lifted up from the floor and swayed her line of sight over to the voice. She had been resting against the wall opposite to their lobby, patiently waiting for their emergence. Heimerdinger stood before her, his mustache bristling with excitement. “You are Diana, yes?”

“I am,” she affirmed with a nod. “Why?”

“Well, aside from you standing outside our lobby,” the yordle started while clapping his hands behind his back. “Leona also told us _much_ about you.”

“Such as?”

 “The star charts you drew up, we-”

 “My star charts?” Diana’s eyes narrowed and met with Leona’s for a brief second. Her curved blade twitched, but instead of raising it, the Moonlit Knight kept it at bay.  “She showed you my _charts_?”

 “Yes, she did, she could barely make sense of them so she had to consult a genius, can’t blame her for that! Quite magnificent! I’ve been trying to find you for weeks now!”

 Diana tilted her head to the side, deciphering what Heimerdinger meant. “Why?”

 “I want to ask your permission for using your charts at the University of Piltover, do a comparison and correct our charts,” Heimerdinger started, his goggles twinkling with excitement. “I would also like to ask you to do a little lecture, if you could?”

 Diana drew back, not sure how to react to such an offer. “A lecture? On my charts?”

 “Yes, on your charts, how you made them, what celestial bodies your culture has compared to others and what clusters they are in,” the professor continued. “It would be truly wonderful to hear from a scholar such as yourself!”

 Leona almost let out a gasp. The slightest hints of blush afflicted Diana’s cheeks, but with a forced cough it disappeared. “I will consider it.”

 “Excellent! I wish I could pencil you in today, but alas, bureaucrats,” Heimerdinger grumbled. “Ragamuffin, razzlin’ frazzlin’ permit 838…”

 “Even if you could, I would have to deny it. Today is the equinox,” Diana replied with a shake of her head. “I will not commit sacrilege today of all days.”

Leona smiled at this. Whether it was Diana’s upbringing or the fact that the Lunari had celebrated this holy day, it mattered not. It was another comparison she could use to convince the Solari to accept her once more. And before Heimerdinger could open his mouth again, Caitlyn reached over and dropped a cupcake on his outstretched paw.

“Oh dear, how did that happen?”

Heimerdinger stared at the baked confection then gave Caitlyn a glare of mock fury. “I’ll have you know that I will eat this, but I will do so with the utmost contempt for you.”

“Of course, professor,” she laughed, feigning a serious tone to emphasize the subtle sarcasm that she had laced in her words.

Caitlyn motioned to Diana to go towards Leona, a knowing glint in her eyes. The Lunari Avatar looked at the Solari Avatar and asked, “Do you have a few minutes? I need to speak with you.”

Leona shook her head, “I cannot at the moment. The next League match should be within the minute. I-”

“Will it take you long?”

Leona puffed her cheeks up, exhaled and shrugged in response, her body language denoted her ease, her contentment despite the defeat. “The last one took nearly two hours, the next one may take however long, and then afterwards I have t-”

“Very well. I shall accompany you. This cannot wait any longer, I will converse with you.”

Heimerdinger looked up from his cupcake, glancing about. “Shay wah nowah?” he demanded before swallowing his food. “But that means you would take my-”

“That would mean that I would be giving you time to organize the paperwork,” Diana snapped, which successfully interrupted the professor. “I will take your position in this match, you can do whatever you please.”

Heimerdinger was about to fume and rant at the rudeness, but he decided to hold his tongue since she did have a good point. “Just don’t lose, please?”

“If the Moon grants us Her favor, there will be no question.”

Diana walked past Heimerdinger and motioned to Leona and the others to follow her back to the lobby. “Let’s not waste time.”

 

* * *

 

Down the slope, through the mountains, Molik could tell they were nearly at their destination. His nose could not stop twitching, as though something smelled off. Different.

A vanguard marching close to Molik decided to ask, “How much longer, Molik?”

“Very soon,” he affirmed before he slid down a steep hill. Molik could no longer delay them. He had hoped that by doing so he would be able to come up with some sort of plan. This proved to be as futile of an idea as it sounded. “It should be through here and-”

There were people here. Demacians, Noxians, some soldiers from the armor that they wore, farmers and thugs from what the others wore. The only one that noticed them was a grizzled Noxian man who froze the moment he caught sight of them. The hundred members of the Iron Solari vanguard advanced. Shrill whistles shrieked which sent the scant Lunari heretics running towards their temple. They stopped at the entrance and created a wall, preparing themselves for combat.

So it was true. It was all true. Diana had been gathering forces for an uprising. But Leona...Was she fooled? Was she a part of this? There was no way to turn back now. If he backpedaled, he would be killed and the Vanguard would march on without him.

Molik stepped forward and called out, “Followers of the cult of Lunari, lay your arms down and no harm will come to you. We have interest only in your temple.”

The Noxian made what Molik assumed was a rude gesture, though he was not certain. But all the same, a great rage seized his heart the moment the gesture was made. He grabbed the spear of his nearest comrade and heaved it with all of his might.

How strange that it sailed through the air, throwing was never his specialty, and yet the spear hit the Noxian with such force and precision that it not only impaled his chest, armor and all, but carried on to impale the next three people in a single stroke. Blood gushed down the steps of the Lunari temple, and the cries of battle rang.

Blood had been shed.

The Iron Solari vanguard advanced.

The brush in the forestry rustled. A familiar plumed helmet rose into view and then dipped back down. Within moments more plumes appeared, and they started to slowly move into positions, their footsteps as quiet as death.

 

* * *

 

Diana was midstep, her hand outstretched when a violent pain in her head sent her to the floor, gasping for air. Viktor stood over her, momentarily surprised by the fact that the woman who was about to slaughter him now knelt before him for no reason. No reason to question luck, at least when he had a summoner this idiotic, and primed his death ray to fire.

A flash of sunlight screamed down and stopped the scientist in his tracks, making his knees buckle from the heat and magnetic field it produced, his lungs aflame. By the time he recovered a beam of light pierced his stomach and Leona appeared in front of him, a defiant glare in her eyes. His third hand fired the death laser at her, in the hopes that it would be able to reach the Lunari avatar in the same stroke, but her shield came crashing down and crushed him into the ground.

“Next time…” Leona growled as she pressed her sword against the back of his neck. “Try to leave a _dent_.”

A whistle and his iron face shattered, the smell of gunpowder overpowered the scent of cooked flesh.

“Caitlyn has slain Viktor, with the aid of Leona and Diana!”

Leona turned around and went towards her fallen friend, her hand extended to help her up. “What’s wrong, Diana?”

“My head,” she grunted in response. “Leona, I need to go. Something is amiss.”

Leona looked at the path they stood on, the enemy’s second tower had just fallen thanks to the Sheriff, this was not a time for Diana to disappear.

“Diana, we still need your help. Can it wait?”

“Leona, I need to go, _right_ now,” Diana stated while attempting to stand, her knees making her sway to and fro.

“I-”

A crippling pain burst in Leona’s head, making her clench her teeth and hiss under her breath. What was this sensation? It felt like wordless screams in her head that would never end.

“You feel it too, do you not?”

Leona nodded and braced herself. It was getting worse by the second. But their teammates, she owed them…

“Diana, we cannot leave our duties here.”

“Leona, something is wrong. I can _feel_ it. Y-”

“We will end this quickly, I promise,” Leona interrupted. She stabbed her sword into the ground and patted Diana’s shoulder. “We gave our word. We cannot break it.”

Diana nodded and winced, her pain tolerance was admittedly a little lower than she would have liked to admit. Leona looked her in her eyes as she said, “We will do this as quickly as we can. Trust me.”

 

* * *

 

The Iron Solari had managed to force their way into the temple, none of them sustained any casualties while the Lunari who were once twelve were now only three. They had put up quite the fight, but it was a futile effort in the end. And everywhere they looked, podiums containing artifacts of the Lunari lined the path to the altar.

The Vanguard spread out and started to advance towards the artifacts, the ceremonial weaponry, armors and clothing, and started to destroy them, per their orders. Molik could swear that he heard laughter fill his ears. From where? He looked down at his lucky butterfly only to find that it was nowhere to be found.

* * *

 

 

Within the summoning room of the Purple side, the summoners controlling the Zaun team continued their conjurations, lost in their trance when the Deceiver appeared next to them. Her heels clicked as she made her way over to one of the crystal balls from which they scryed the Field of Justice and peered into it. Her left hand grasped her golden staff while her right hand twitched, making a butterfly appear. She glanced at it then back at the battle.

“I think _now_ is an appropriate time.”

LeBlanc raised her staff up and pressed it against the crystal ball. She watched the Zaunites destroy their own surprise attack by wandering out of position, the Piltoverans counter the attack. The beautiful words of the announcer, “Aced!” soon followed.

“Now I do believe that calls for you to surrender, yes, dears? You cannot possibly win from such a setback, after all,” LeBlanc cooed.

The summoners nodded and hung their heads in shame. The crystal balls all shone a dark green and fizzled out. By the time they snapped back into consciousness, their mind link had been severed, and they were being read out the results of their defeat. Each of them was flabberghasted, unsure how this came to be. How could this have happened?

 

* * *

 

 “Zaun has surrendered! Piltover has won!”

Caitlyn drew back, her face blank. “What? Why the deuce would they surrender?”

Leona let out a breath of satisfaction. “We won. That means-”

Diana gave Leona a clap on her shoulder as she said, “I will see you tomorrow. I need to leave.”

Before Leona could respond, the Lunari avatar disappeared in a flash of blue light. Leona tilted her head back and followed suit, allowing the blue light of the summoners to wrap around her. She appeared on the outskirts of the Solari town. With a casual glance, Leona could not spot a single living soul out and about. They must be at the temple, preparing for the Mass of Equinox. She made her way into the village and heard the hustle and bustle of people. They had stands set up, tables set, the smells of food wafted into her nostrils.

Even though the clanking of her armor could not be heard over the din of preparations, the presence she exuded was enough to make her people know that the Solari Avatar had arrived. They all looked to her and fell to one knee in supplication. Leona smiled back and was about to say something when the screams filled her head once more, even louder than before.

Her face twitched, her eyes screwed up as she attempted to take the pain in stride. Leona forced a smile as she ascended the steps, she wanted to see her vanguard, Molik and the Elders before preparing herself for the ceremony.

 

* * *

 

Diana appeared outside the Institute of War itself, and the moment her feet touched grass, she disappeared in a beam of light. In less than a minute she was on the grounds of her temple.

The stink of fresh blood assaulted her nostrils. She could hear the priceless artifacts break, stone crack, screams of protest over the clamor of weapons. A burst of silver light filled the temple as Diana dashed in, staring at the Iron Solari Vanguard who froze in place. What were they doing here? How did they find this place? H...Leona.

_‘Leona, what have you done?’_

The few who had picked artifacts dropped them as they scrambled for their weaponry. They clanged their weapons on their shields, then one of them called out, “Diana, Heresiarch of the Heretic Order, you are ch-”

He did not get to finish his sentence as the Moonlight Knight cut him in twain, from head to toe, shearing through armor and bone like wet paper.

_‘How could you, Leona?’_

Her blade slammed into the floor and cut through the marble with the same amount of ease. She turned the blade inwards and sent up chunks of the stone as she aimed to rip through the nearest of the Vanguards.

_‘I should have known.’_

 

* * *

 

“Where are the Iron Solari?”

Leona looked around, baffled. There was no sign of them, the only people inside the temple was the council of Elders who looked at one another, concerned, but they did not reply.

“Where are the Iron Solari, Elder Council?” she repeated, her voice gradually rising in volume. “They are meant to be here, to join us in celebration.”

“We know what you have done.”

Leona was about to ask more when her head pulsed once more. She buckled to one knee and clutched the back of her head. Why did it hurt so much? What was the warning? They knew what she...had...

“Ex _cuse_ you?”

“Excuse us?” Alexandrios stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger at Leona. “What have _you_ done? Why would you consort with a heretic? Why would you aid them?”

Leona pushed herself to her feet, her hazel eyes crackled with sunlight. “What have you idiots done?”

“Your job, Avatar. To purify her soul so that she may be granted a chance to be welcomed in Solarus’ arms.”

In that moment it clicked together where the Iron Solari had went. The Solari Temple exploded with sunlight. The people marveled at the wondrous sight, and how despite that it was so close to sunset that the Avatar decided to bring daylight back, to show the eternal strength of the sun.

Leona yelled at the Elders, “How did you find out? Who told you? Who?!”

She heard mewls of pain in response, that was not the answer she was looking for.

“Who told you?!” she demanded once more, the stone under her feet started to melt from the intense heat that exuded from her body.

“I-Iron S-S-Solari M-Molik,” one finally gasped out in between labored breaths of pain.

And just as quickly as it came, the light died out. Leona could smell the beginning of cooked flesh, the Elders writhed at her feet, some of them bemoaning about their eyes. “Do you realize what any of you have done? Any one of you?”

Leona struck the side of her head with her index finger, “None of you do! Not a single one of you! You don’t understand, the religions were one in the same once upon a time. This would be a return to the roots.”

The Elders all became as pale as death.

“The previous Avatar had them _exterminated_. It is in our creed, it is-”

“It was through the previous Avatar’s scriptures that the Lunari temple could be found,” Leona shot back, holding up one of the various scriptures of the Solari. “It was in the very creed of the Solari that the clues were deciphered from, Elders. And when I went _in_ the Temple, I found her tomb that had her lamentation, her apology for doing what she did. It was signed Albina.”

Alexandros swallowed his saliva to the best of his ability and demanded, “And what was the Heretic’s name? Did it say Its name?”

The Radiant Dawn went quiet. Yes, it was obvious the point he was about to drive. “ _Her_ name was Su’en. Or Sin in our tongue.”

“The very word whose definition is to violate the will of Solarus was derived from her name, Avatar. It was going to kill us all and we were spared complete destruction at the hands of heretic army because of Albina’s leadership. We have lived for centuries in peace because of Albina, bec-”

“Peace? _Peace_ ?” Leona cast her swordhand backwards and pointed it at the entirety of the temple. “What peace is there? You have the Rakkor defend you from enemies while you all sat on top of this stupid mountain, looking down on others, living a lie and _killing_ those who discovered the truth! The cycle does not have to repeat! We can control our fate, our destinies, why are you so bent on her erasure, why are y...”

Leona stopped mid sentence. The pain thudded in her head once more. Her eyes went wide. “Oh dear Sun...I’m wasting time. I’m wasting time because of you idiots.”

She spun on her heels and started to glow once more.

“Avatar! Where are you going?” Alexandros demanded as he rolled over, gasping in pain. “You can’t le-

“I’m going to save our people you sent to the slaughter, and when I return, I will have the Rakor put you all on trial,” Leona growled.

Before they could protest, she disappeared in a beam of light that raced out of the temple.

 

* * *

 

It took her mere seconds to reach the Lunari temple. Outside was foreboding enough, with blood that flowed down the stairs and into the crimson tainted lake. Bodies were strewn about every which way. Leona broke off into a sprint, the weight of her heavy armaments barely a note as her golden sabatons sent pools of blood spraying to the air as she ascended the steps. On the seventh step Leona ducked out of instinct and a corpse flew over her head. For a scarce moment, Leona’s eyes and the man’s dead eyes met: it was an Iron Solari member, Socrato. He exploded upon impact with the ground, the shrapnel of his armor the only note of his existence aside from the red stain and the fragments of bone.

By the time Leona ascended the stairs, revulsion filled her stomach. The stink of blood was overpowering. Corpses were strewn every which way over cracked foundations and pillars, broken artifacts littered the ground, and she could only watch in horror as Diana hooked one of the members of the Vanguard by their groin and split them wide open, their entrails raining down on her. She was covered head to toe in blood and gore, her eyes hummed with lunar energy, three of her followers were huddled by the altar, quaking in fear as Diana swung her blade once more, the shields of the Iron Solari providing no defense as it bisected their defenses and their bodies alike.

“Diana! Diana, stop this!” Leona called out.

The Lunari Avatar’s weapon was already raised, about to fall down once more when the Solari Avatar’s voice stopped her. She turned to look at Leona, her face a blank slate. No anger, no rage, she looked calm, serene about this affair.

“Diana, listen to me,” Leona called out as she took a step towards her, dropping her shield and her sword as she did so. With her hands raised up in front of her in her attempt to show good faith, Leona continued, “This has gone too far. Let’s talk, Diana. You and me, let us talk.”  She then pointed at the Iron Solari, “This is not my fault, this is not their fault. I am here now. They will listen to me. The bloodshed can stop now. We can put an end to this.”

Time seemed to stop: The remaining three dozen or so Iron Solari did not move, did not breathe, the Lunari members were huddled together, seized by terror, the young Noxian boy’ face contorted with grief, and the two Avatars stared at one another.

“Now what?”

Leona forced a smile as she said, “It’s alright Diana. It’s not too late. Let them go, I’ll take them back to the Solari, I will dole out punishments and-”

“Ask not the sun why she sets, why she shrouds her light away.”

Her followers looked at one another, unsure what to do now. Diana gave them a quick glance that told them everything. They repeated after her, “Ask not the sun why she sets, why she shrouds her light away.”

Leona tilted her head, not sure what Diana’s response meant.

Diana took another step towards Leona and continued, “Or why she hides her glowing gaze, when night turns crimson gold to grey.”

The creed. Or at least a variant of it.

“Diana, listen to me, this was a mistake, a misunderstanding.”

“For silent falls the guilty sun, as day to dark does turn.”

“Diana? Diana listen to me,” Leona demanded, light flooding from her body. “Listen to me, this was one, _catastrophic,_ mistake.”

“One simple truth she dare not speak,” Diana replied, lunar energy gathering about her while her followers continued to echo her words. She flicked her blade clean of blood as she sang, “Her light can only blind and burn.”

“I did not command them!” Leona yelled, her composure barely a footnote. “I did not tell them to do this! They were told by the Council, I just found out, I’m going to put them on trial, I’m going to the Kor, I’m going to need your help for this, but the only way this can happen is if you stop this now! Put your weapon down, Diana! Trust me!”

Diana stopped her walk. She paused, and allowed Leona and her to make eye contact. Leona could see the twitches in the Moonlit Knight’s face. She begged again, “Trust me!”

Diana’s response stole the breath from Leona. She flicked her blade and sent a beam of lunar energy that traveled to five Iron Solari members and incinerated them, their burn shadows the only evidence of their existence.

Leona had no words. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. The light started to grow brighter as she took a step towards Diana. “Diana, why-”

Some of the Iron Solari managed to gather enough cowardice to attempt to run. They only managed three steps before they met the same fate as their comrades, shadows burnt in the marble. She advanced on the other members that just barely managed to stand despite how violently their knees shook.

“Diana! STOP!” Leona bellowed, a stream of sunlight shooting forth from her as Diana swung her blade over to hook nearby Iron Solari. The Lunari Avatar had to jump back to avoid the solar flare. “Don’t do this to yourself! Don’t do this to them!”

“No mercy for the guilty. Bring down their lying sun _,_ ” Diana shot back, her eyes locking with Leona’s. “Blood so silver black by night, upon their faces pale white...”

Diana’s hair started to swirl and flow like a river of crimson not bound by gravity. She crouched to the ground and stabbed her weapon down in front of her. All around them the sun started to set, the orange and red in the sky a pattern that Diana reflected on herself, resembling a harvest moon. Her hands at her sides, she tilted her head back and allowed herself to be bathed in Lunar energy.

“I didn’t lie to you! I never would! _I_ was lied to!” Leona yelled, her skin glowing with golden light. “Diana, we do not have to do this! We don’t have to repeat the past mis-“

Diana’s head snapped down, she stared Leona directly in her eyes as she yanked her weapon free and took off in a bolt of energy.

“Cruel moon, bring the end. The dawn will never rise _again_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: The end is coming! My lovely editor KuzAnn managed to help me out with this chapter, and I'm aiming to finishing up the story this month! Let the dawn never rise again. Still have to figure out how the flip Reddit works. And to make an account. And all that jazz. But in the mean time, a confession I have to whisper to you, my readers: I killed Mufasa.


	11. Dusk Approaches

The moment Diana made contact with Leona an explosion roared out. Silver and golden flames erupted every which way, nearly filling the temple and billowing, scorching the very marble with its heat. The unfortunate few that were too close to the explosion were thrown into the air, the pungent odor of charred flesh filling the temple. When they landed they were already dead, their skin bubbled and blackened, their lungs scorched from the sheer intensity of the heat wave. It seemed that where the two clashed was now just a bubble of light that was impossible to stare at. The remaining Lunari and Solari members averted their eyes, not sure if they were willing to look upon such a beautiful, sacred light without being blinded for such a sacrilegious act.

Within the bubble, Diana’s sword hand was caught by Leona’s left hand, her fingers locked around the Lunari’s in an iron grip. Her right forearm was pressed against Diana’s chest piece, which was what had effectively halted the would-be deadly attack. The impact shook all the blood loose from her hair and body, the cracks in the chestplate now much longer and wider.

“Di-”

Diana pulled herself free and blitzed to the opposite end of the temple at absurd speed. She was a beam of light that arced around and volleyed herself at Leona again. This time the Solari Avatar ducked underneath the strike, and allowed the lunar energy to sail over her head and out of the temple. The Lunari Avatar was too fast to allow for full control of her current state. Leona took the opportunity to grab her shield and hoist it in place. When the lunar light came screaming back to strike Leona she clenched her fist, braced her feet and steeled herself for the inevitable impact. The Solari Avatar could stare into the light, her vision not hindered, and see the passivity, borderline neutrality, on the Moonlit Knight’s face, the expression of one who had nothing to lose, nothing to gain.

Leona swung her shield out the moment Diana swung her blade, in an attempt to parry the curved sword. If she kept it in front of her, as she had witnessed before, it would only serve as a lie of protection thanks to the unique make of the Lunari weapon. And rather than feel any resulting impact, the shield was torn free from Leona, the straps on her arm snapped as the aegis flew out of her grip. Diana’s feet barely touched the ground, but the energy and the sheer gravity she was exerting crushed the stones and marked her path via burn marks. The momentum was too great to stop, but the Lunari Avatar made no effort to do so as she sheared through a half dozen Iron Solari members. As she slowed down it was revealed that the tip of her sword had hooked onto the circular crest of the Solari shield.  Diana spun her weapon once and hurled the sacred shield of the Solari Avatar’s regalia directly at the furthest wall, embedding it in its face.

The light dimmed ever so slightly. It had been but a single second since the explosion and yet more corpses appeared. Silver light illuminated Diana’s veins, her eyes brimming as she looked over at Leona and pointed her weapon at the Solari Avatar.

“Diana,  _stop_ this,” Leona pleaded once more, but there was shades of anger, frustration in her voice. “No more deaths, Diana, th-”

“Enough words,” Diana interrupted with a listless shrug. “No more lies.”

“ _No,_ we will  _speak_ , Diana. Y-”

“For what reason?” Diana shot back, her sword not wavering. “Avatar? The sickest joke I’ve heard. You are not thier avatar. You are not a leader.” The Moonlit Knight pointed at the remaining Iron Solari members as she demanded, “Whose orders did they follow? Yours? Did you tell them to do this?”

“No!” Leona yelled back, her hands balled up into fists. “I did not command them, I d-”

“And yet they are  _your_ guards.  _Your_ supposed personal vanguard,  _your_ personal army. They are meant to carry the orders of the Avatar, and yet they follow another’s command. You are just a figurehead,” Diana cut in, successfully interrupting Leona once more. “You have no power to change, no power to rule, no power to do anything beyond being a symbol of blindness. Of deceit. They  _lied_ to you. You now know the truth and yet, and  _yet_ , you still dare stand at  _their_ side.”

Diana swung her arm over and pointed at the rest of the Iron Solari vanguard the two women could see. Each member that did not lay still on the ground barely had the strength stand. “Who then do you choose, Leona: Them, or me? To let the lies continue, or to end it, once and for all? What will you make me do?”

There was no hesitation in her response.

“Diana, you will not kill another today. Stand  _down_ .”

Diana brought her sword in front of her and gripped it with both hands. She stared Leona down, her eyes lifeless, as she said, “Then I will be a scythe, in a field full of briars.”

There was no remorse, no question or confusion in her voice.The Moonlit Knight meant it. Leona dove for her sword. Diana’s blade slammed down and pulled every member of the Iron Solari in: Wounded, dead or barely breathing, it mattered not. She hummed with lunar energy that swirled around her, ready to explode when she felt a hand press against her face.

The lunar energy disappeared in an instant, and the Solari Avatar shoved the Lunari Avatar’s head to the side, sending her flying with far more force than she intended.

Diana hit one of the many stone columns and traveled straight through it.

The Iron Solari all looked at her, their mouths ajar. Leona was smouldering, as though her entire body was nothing more than molten gold and her hair a cape of fire. In her left hand she wielded the sacred sword of the Solari Avatar, the Sunlight Blade. Her burning eyes glared at them as she commanded, “ **_Leave._ ** ”

Leona looked over at the Lunari and pointed at them with her right hand. “ **_You as well. It is not safe-_ ** ”

She was interrupted by a beam of lunar energy that slammed into her and sent her flying into the east wall of the temple. They decided not to argue. The ones that could move carried the ones who could not, and they limped towards the exit. The faint silhouette of an Iron Solari could be seen trembling behind one of the shattered stone columns. The Lunari were not sure what to do at first, but they heard a whisper in their ears, “ _Stay, the Moon will protect you_ .”

The two balls of light, one golden and the other silver, paused for a moment the second they touched the wall, which started to burn and char from their presence. The two clashed, then pulled away and crashed into one another again, the pattern repeating as the two used the boundaries of the temple as their battleground. Every time they made contact it was punctuated by twin sacred lights of silver and gold that could be seen for hundreds of miles, which were accompanied by either gusts of soothing, cool winds or dry blasts of hot air. All of these factors made it an impossibility for the audience to keep track of the fight.

Leona felt Diana’s hand wrap around her throat, the Moonlit Knight’s blade raised and readied to fall. As it did, her left arm shot up and caught the edge of Diana’s weapon with her own sword. Because Diana was too close it was simple for Leona to hold the weapon at bay, pressed the flat end of the Solari Sword against the middle point of the Lunari curved blade, making it miss its intended target of the Solari Avatar’s jugular. The only option Diana saw, and took, was the fact that the tip of her weapon hung precariously behind Leona, and so the Moonlit Knight pulled the blade towards her in her attempt to hook Leona’s shoulder. It pierced what felt like skin, but Diana quickly discovered that despite how hard she tugged and pulled, her weapon was firmly embedded in Leona’s flesh.

The Solari Avatar wasted no time as she wrapped her arm around the edge of the weapon and tugged the Lunari Avatar in towards her, unhooking herself in the process. A devastating elbow to the chest sent Diana flying once more, but she could feel from the given moment her blade catch and part flesh as she flew back. Golden blood gushed forth from Leona’s arm and sprayed onto the blade. The moment it touched Diana’s weapon the golden lifeforce transformed into a brownish, almost black, liquid that crusted immediately, resembling rust, which was accompanied by a strange, inexplicable scream of soundless fury. Strange, otherworldly  phenomenon Diana had never observed even once in all the times the two had fought in League matches. What was different this time? Now was not the time to think, she had to react to the attack.

Leona pressed on the attack, undaunted by the wound on her arm, and dashed towards the airborne Moonlit Knight. Diana dug her heels and her free hand into the floor, but as she discovered, the high speed made friction an illusion. Her fingers passed through the floor as though it were lukewarm butter. Wasn’t this marble? Was she not touching rock? It was hard to tell. But seeing the futility, Diana decided to push herself off the ground, the force of her kick creating the distinctive bowl and spine-like outer ridge of a small crater as she dashed towards Leona once more in a renewed burst of speed.

The way Diana saw it, Leona had no shield. There was no way for her to defend herself. This should be a simple fight, now that Leona’s strength was gone, it was time to take full advantage of her weakness.

Diana swung her blade forward, expecting Leona to try and dodge it. It passed through Leona as a streak of sunlight overwhelmed the Lunari avatar. Diana did not stop, she could not do anything but move forward as the sword whiffed at her and just narrowly missed the back of her legs, a futile attempt to hamstring her.

Diana turned midleap to face Leona. She could see no facial features, just the burning likeness of the Solari Avatar that stood before her. It was strange, despite being locked in combat with Leona, she had never felt more... _Powerful_ . Her blade never shone as bright as it was doing so now, and as she flicked her wrist to send another wave of lunar energy, it created the same effect as Leona’s solar flare.

And yet, the moment it struck Leona, it did nothing. She soaked up the energy as though it never existed. A familiar sensation, one not felt since that day, gripped Diana’s heart as Leona careened down towards her. Her blade swung again. Leona’s sword came up and caught the inside of the blade, preventing it from completing its full swing, the clash of the blades causing fist-sized gouts of silver and golden flames to spew every which way.

Leona was fighting like a Rakkor now. Diana had just now realized that. Leona was not lefthanded, but it made sense that she was ambidextrous, it was typical Rakkor training. Using a shield in one’s left and a weapon in one’s right was done because of the formation of squads and legions. If Leona had been using her sword in her right hand, there would be no feasible way for her to parry and block Diana’s curved weapon, and she  _knew_ this. She  _thought_ about this and compensated for it.

The cascade of moonlight that served as both the moon’s presence and the Moonlit Knight’s defense gave no resistance as the Solari Avatar swung her elbow up and slammed it down on top of Diana’s head. Another crater formed from the impact as Diana hit the ground feet-first, her vision started to blur, and for a scant moment, everything slowed down. Started to blur? No, there was a distinct pain that thudded on the top of her head, but there was a burning sensation on her face. Diana looked about, seeing  the scenery again rather than the mismatched ideas of the temple, things slowed down into recognizable, spatial shapes. Multiple columns had been shattered, this was the second crater, nearly two meters deep, that was formed within the temple. The walls had chunks of missing stone, the artifacts, those that remained recognizable, were charred, melted or damaged in some horrendous way, and the altar was reduced to rubble, but her followers were safe.

She took off once more. If she could not fight hand to hand with Leona, then she would have to wear her down with the Moon’s blessing. The Moonlit Knight fired another blast of lunar energy at Leona, which upon making contact was absorbed into her body, leaving no discernible wound or effect, just as before.

Why? How was this possible? The Sun crowned the Moon, the Moon was the Sun’s equal, it deserved respect! How could it be that Leona was able to mock her so? With every single strike she made, Leona grew brighter, and brighter, and Diana felt more, and more powerful. Firing bolt after bolt, each as ineffective as the last.

“ **_Diana, stop,_ ** ” Leona bellowed. Her voice sounded more like a dull roar, muddled and nearly incoherent. “ **_You m-_ ** ”

A pale cascade of moonlight roared out from Diana, and she readied to rush towards Leona once more. Diana felt something pierce her right arm and her weapon fell to the ground, disappearing in a blur. Leona’s sword pierced her forearm, cut her tendons, forced her to release the blade, observing that her blood had the exact same effect on Leona’s sword as the Solari Avatar’s blood had on her weapon. The Moonlit Knight now realized that she was only a breath away from Leona’s face, a breath away from death.

The familiar sensation gripped her heart again. Diana raised her left hand and went by instinct. A bolt of crackling silver lightning fired out from Diana’s hand. She hoped that at point blank range, this would be enough to overcome Leona. It fizzled and swirled about the Solari Avatar, engulfing her in its silvery embrace. For a moment, Diana relaxed. That must have had an effect, it  _had_ to have some effect.

As the silver light crackled and faded away, Diana saw Leona’s right hand raised upwards, balled into a fist. The Moonlit Knight could feel a new source of heat scorch her from above, which was accompanied by a flash of bright light. She tilted her head back, her eyes wide in realization as the solar flare came crashing down and swallowed her. The fight was at an end.

In the midst of the ruined Lunari temple, Leona stood over Diana, whose back was pressed into the floor, head tilted back, face clutched by her left hand. The Moonlit Knight wanted to howl, but refused to let her composure break.

Leona kept her sword pointed at the Lunari Avatar, in anticipation of a counter attack. When Diana moved her hands away from her face, the light started to dim. Leona’s skin changed from molten gold back to its normal tone. Her hazel eyes became visible once more, her hair stopped floating about like a molten river, and she stared at her friend as the realization of what she had done finally sank in.

Diana had been blinded.

Her eye sockets were two charred surfaces. If there was anything left in them, one could not tell underneath all of the blackened flesh. Diana writhed on the floor, with her right arm moving, trying to compensate for her useless hand by covering her face with it.

What had she done?

Leona could feel the blood as it flowed down her back. She looked about at the destruction they had wrought. There was no longer a roof. The Lunari artifacts, if any were preserved, were buried under rubble. The corpses that once littered the temple were nothing more than dust and ash. The Lunari, where were they? Leona looked over at the ruined altar which, despite its state and the debris that laid around it, she saw three heads peek from behind it. She swung her vision over to the entrance of the temple, and saw her Iron Solari vanguard standing there, staring at her, mouths ajar.

Leona looked once more at Diana, who had rolled over to her knees and started to look about wildly. Her body shook from shock, blood loss and the loss of her eyes. What now? What was to happen now? 

Leona released her sword and allowed it to clatter to the ground. “It’s over, Diana,” she said, half choked on the emotion that threatened to leap out of her heart.

“Where are you, Leona? I can’t see you. Step out into the light, Leona,” Diana demanded, her face swinging to face the direction of the discarded weapon. “I will not be ignored. I  _will_ be heard.”

“Diana, it’s over,” Leona whispered in response. “We don’t have to fight anymore.”

No. No, it could not end like this. What was she to do? To not have sight, her one virtue?

“Leona, step into the light,” Diana demanded once more, still able to miraculously keep her composure. “This is not over. I am not done.”

“We...we don’t have to fight anymore, Diana. We-”

“You cannot see. You  _do not_ see, you cannot do what is needed.” Diana wanted to scream, her chest rising and falling from the labored breaths she took. “You cannot do what is needed, only I can. Step forward, Leona.”

“Diana-”

“Step forward,  _Leona_ . I will end th-”

Leona fell to her knees and took Diana in her arms, embracing the woman with all her might.

Diana started to tremble. What was this? Was Leona...pitying her? The strong arms of the Solari Avatar were wrapped around her shoulders, the side of her face pressed against Leona’s chest. She could hear the heartbeat, even though the metal chestpiece. And yet, despite this action, Diana could still not see.

“Diana, it’s done. It’s over. We don’t have to fight ever again,” Leona stated, her arms quaking, her voice barely a whisper. “I’m so, so sorry.”

She was apologizing?  _Apologizing_ ? Was this it? Was this the end?

“I’m sorry, Diana. I’m sorry, Diana. I’m sorry.”

From the blackened sockets, moisture started to build. This was it? This was her fate?

Leona pulled herself free and took Diana’s face into her hands, smearing her blood across the armor and formed a crimson handprint on the blind Lunari avatar’s cheek. Leona adjusted Diana’s “line of sight” to look directly at her as she spoke. “I will make this up to you. I swear it. Just rest here for a bit, and I will lead you out of the temple.”

Pity? Sympathy? What was this? How dare she? How  _dare_ she?

Leona stood up and looked at the Iron Solari that stood at the entrance. She marched towards them as she commanded, “Followers of the Lunari, follow me.”

They did not react straight away, they did not know what to do. Diana could hear their footsteps slap against the ground, the debris shift and groan as they climbed over. They were following Leona? Her own followers betrayed her? The moisture formed tears that threatened to fall down her face, but the heat of the wounds kept them from doing so.

“Why did you not leave? Why did you ignore my command yet again? Who am I to you? What is my importance to you?” Leona demanded, her eyes narrowing as she addressed her vanguard. “I am your Avatar. Since you are still here, you will  _listen_ to what I have to say. Diana will come with  _me_ , with  _us_ , back to the Solari, she will be at  _our_ side, and we are going to redeem the sins of our ancestors.”

Redemption? Leona? No. This was her calling, no one else’s, she was to lead this, Leona was incapable of doing what was needed, to sift the wheat from the chaff. And yet, what could she do in this state? Leona was just as power hungry as the rest. It was obvious now. How could she have done it, to have ever granted a chance, to give such a person any form of lenience? The tears fell. They trickled down her face, boiled into blackened char marks, and when her eyes opened, light filled her sight.

Sight? She could see?

The Moon’s blessing.

Of course. How could she have doubted such a thing? A moment of weakness, but the Moon forgave her, and only her, for a reason.

Diana eyed the back of Leona, moving her right arm that, although having lost every sense of touch, could move again. It was a miracle. Her breathing becoming deeper and more intense with every breath she took. The Moonlit Knight forced herself to her feet.

“If you just considered speaking to me, just asking me, I would have stopped you, none of this would have had to happen!” Leona yelled, anger and frustration overtaking her voice, her knees buckling as she walked. She had to pause in her step to try and catch her breath; the fight had taken a ridiculous toll on her.

Diana’s blade was a few meters away. Her right hand motioned towards it as she readied for a sprint. The fatigue that gripped every muscle in her body was barely recognized; she had work to do.

“Here and now, today, I declare the Lunari and the Solari to be-”

Leona felt an invisible tug from behind her, sending her crashing to the ground. The Iron Solari were too shocked to react in time. Diana gripped Leona’s hair and pulled her head back. Her silver, lifeless eyes bored into Leona’s surprised hazel’s.

Her blade held high, Diana brought it down, aiming for Leona’s throat.

Time slowed down.

Diana had done this many times before on the Fields of Justice. But this time, unlike every single other time, Leona showed an alien emotion to her: Fear. She was scared. She was hurt, betrayed, even astonished to what was happening now. How could this be? How can she be so stupefied, so confused, after everything that had been done? Why was there that wordless, endless screaming in her head? Why did her muscles seize up, as though they strove to stop her action but failed to do so out of fatigue?

How could Leona think that Diana would not harm her even after all that has happened?

The momentum was too great. There was no stopping the fall of the culling blade. Diana made the choice. There was no turning back.

“No!”

From behind a pile of debris, Molik shot out and blocked the falling blade with his xiphos. He was a weak man, he should not have stopped her as easily as he did. And as Molik pulled the blade up and away from Leona, Diana realized the full extent of her wounds and toll the fight took on her. Diana staggered back, her sword a lead weight in her hand.

Leona gasped and attempted to stand. She had to move, she could not falter now.

As Molik attempted to slash at Diana, she managed to backstep in time to let it whiff by, and she attempted to counter with a heavy slash. It was so slow that he managed to step in and use his shield to catch the point near the top of the hilt. Its blade sliced through his aegis with ease, but rather than cutting completely through, it got caught on the blunt shaft that Diana held onto.

Diana stared into the rage-filled visage of Molik as he drove his sword forward. A burst of light roared in the next instant and immediately afterwards, the light faded. Hot blood sprayed onto Molik’s face.

Diana was knocked to the floor, the drip-dropping of blood in front of her the immediate tell that she was unharmed. As the Moonlit Knight looked upwards, she saw a crimson coated blade jut out from the back of Leona.

Leona coughed a spray of blood onto Molik’s face, her face calm, almost serene, while his was contorted in unending horror. The Solari Avatar slipped backwards, the xiphos sword making a disgustingly wet, slurping sound as her body pulled free of it, and she hit the ground with her back.

Diana felt her very soul be tugged at, pulled upwards into the sky. Her silver eyes dulled, the crest on her forehead started to dissolve. What just happened?

Molik did not know how to react. He fell to his knees as he started to crawl to Leona. A sharp whistle filled his ears which was followed by a thunderous boom. Pantheon landed in front of him.

“Pantheon, y-”

Before Molik could say another word, Pantheon gave him a violent knee to the chin that sent the man flying backwards, shattering his jaw in a single blow. Rakkor hoplites made their presence known by entering the temple, spear tips readied, and corralled the Iron Solari into a corner, surrounding them to prevent any chance of escape.

Pantheon planted his spear into the ground and stared over everyone in front of him, studying them, analyzing them. And for a single moment, he glanced back at Leona. He did not acknowledge Diana’s existence and kept his focus on the fading Solari Avatar.

Her warm eyes grew cold, her body paled, and she stared up at the setting sun. Her body started to feel weightless, as though it were nothing but light itself. Her blood pooled out around her, and Leona could feel her life float gently upwards in the shape of golden sparks.

Dusk had finally set on the land.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TIME FOR THE HATE :DDDDD I REGRET NOTHING! P.S. There is one more chapter and an epilogue after this! Better brace yourselves! And as a note, yes, I have planned this from beginning to end. I will not be swayed to make any changes, save for edits of clarification, for what has happened and what will happen. This is the direction I've always intended to take it in.


	12. Twilight Fades

At the Institute of War, an entire troop of summoners paced outside the doors of the Council of Equity’s meeting room.

“When are we going to act?”

“I cannot sense the Radiant Dawn, there were the multiple bursts of light, why is this taking so long? It should be just a quick investigation.”

“What about Diana? Maybe-”

“Can’t contact her either.”

“It’s no Kalamanda, no reason to rush, but-”

“It’s bloody insane!”

Inside the meeting room, High Summoner Vessaria Kolminye knuckled her forehead and drummed her fingers on the table. The two other chairs that were meant to be occupied by the triumvirate had only one other occupant, her associate High Summoner Saladin Fadil.

“Kolminye, how much longer is this summoner going to take? We need to be able to act quickly, not practice waiting for glaciers to melt.”

“The Rakkor will not let the Institute, without due notification, reason, or anything short of global extinction, so much as a toe over their borders,” Kolminye replied, her voice exhausted from the dragging minutes of the discussion. “Our envoy is acting as qui-”

“They have allowed the clause that if an emergency can be justified, we can trespass so long as we can prove our intervention is a necessity, which I think we can easily do,” Fadil interrupted with a sharp bark. Hints of frustration started to taint the concern in his voice as he said, “There are some very serious concerns, and I am unsure why you are opposing this decision so much. We need to take the risk for the good of the League."

“Do  _not_ use that tone with me, Fadil. We cannot just march in like Kalamanda with an army of summoners. The Rakkor will do their very best to slaughter us on sight, you  _know_ this,” she shot back, not pleased with the tone he was using with her. Before Kolminye could say anything else, Fadil’s eyes went wide and his head crashed down onto the table.

Kolminye let out a quiet sigh of relief. She looked over to the empty seat and said, “Thank you. We were beating the horse by that point.”

“My only regret is I did not act sooner,” a gentle voice cooed from the shadows. A depression formed in the seat cushion as an invisible forced rested itself upon it. In the next moment, LeBlanc materialized out of thin air. She glanced at Fadil’s still form as she remarked, “He is starting to sound more and more like Ashram these days. Leave it to a Lightshield to nominate someone like him. Will this become a worry I will have to nip in the bud?”

“I do not believe that is the topic we need to  _discuss_ , LeBlanc…” Kolminye started to say, but the toothy grin the Deceiver shot her made her change her tone completely, from High Summoner to servant. “Matron, may I ask you a couple of questions?”

LeBlanc’s grin became a smirk as she leaned forward and rested her arms on the table. “You may.”

“Why are you here?”

LeBlanc said nothing, but she continued to smile at the High Summoner. Kolminye hid the building frustration deep within the pits of her soul, knowing that the Deceiver was being coy for the lone sake of irking her.

“Matron…”

The Deceiver laughed as her right index finger started to trail circles on the face of the table. “I simply heard the news that seems to be murmuring amongst the summoners, and I wished to make sure you were-”

“That is not a satisfactory answer, Matron. If you have something to do with what has happened, it will cause far more questions than you’d ever want. I would rather not deal with the permanent death of one of the most beloved of the League champions and the backlash of the League’s inability to protect them from another champion," Kolminye's mouth moved faster than her tongue, her frustration made her forget her manners for a moment. She paused, took a breath in and clarified, "I do not want the League to be scrutinized for a matter that it could have solved, and if you are barring us from acting as the  _League_ , I would like to know why.”

“Darling, if they will blame anyone, they will blame the Rakkor,” LeBlanc stated, her smile not faltering. “It will be their xenophobia that will be scrutinized and criticized, it is of no fault of yours or anyone else’s in the League. You have done all that you can without infringing upon personal rights and freedoms.”

LeBlanc flicked her right index finger up and showed the image of a young summoner woman who was surrounded by heavily armed Rakkor hoplites with their spears pointed at her as they marched at a quick tempo.

“Summoner Amalia von Weiß has made contact with the Rakkor scant minutes ago and asked for permission to investigate on their lands. They said no, because these are Solari affairs. When asked if she could see them, they said to speak to the avatar. When told she could not summon her due to the celebration, they have decided to escort her to the Solari elders to speak with them in person, be granted the permission, and she will come back and report to you and the others . If you sent anyone else, the same result would have been had, but I at least trust Amalia’s tongue to try and make due haste.”

Kolminye went quiet and fell into thought. If it really was taking the summoner so long because of the Rakkor, what then about Diana? They could not summon her either, their connection with the Lunari Avatar was severed as well. There were too many unknown variables, did it really mean that all they could do was wait and see what would happen, because of the Rakkor?

LeBlanc tittered with laughter once more as she crooned, “Honestly, all that can result from this is benefit upon benefit. Everyone wants freedom until they want security, safety, something that will reassure them that yes, you can protect them only if they are willing to let you. So really, best case scenario, no one is harmed and you look responsible. Worst case scenario, Targon explodes and because you followed the rules, because you respected the culture, this is the result of respecting one’s individuality. You can use it to spearhead more control and we’re all happy.”

Kolminye nodded her head, rolling over the Deceiver’s words in her head. “So how are you involv-?”

“Kolminye, dear, sweetest of darlings, most intelligent, and beautiful, of all summoners, are you still questioning me?”

“N-no, Matron,” Kolminye stuttered, knowing from her years of experience that she now tread a fine line.

Gentle laughter, reminiscent of wind chimes soothed Kolminye’s ears as LeBlanc stood up and made her way over to the High Summoner.

“Darling, you know I take care of my roses, each and every one of them. I will not leave you to wilt because of negligence. I am only here to reassure you that yes, everything within your power that can be done is being done, and you need to reassure the other summoners as such.”

The Deceiver’s left hand came up and stroked the High Summoner’s cheek. Vessaria did a quick mental check, nothing felt off. She had no desire to cluck like a chicken nor had the urge to scream in inordinate amounts of pain from the very bottom of soul, so far so good.

“Remember your place, Vessaria,” LeBlanc whispered, her lips parted in a smile. “Just as you trust me, I trust you to run the affairs of the League as you see fit. I trust your judgement and that is why I rarely dip my beak in your pond, darling, and yes, in the public eye you treat me as you would any other champion, but never forget who you serve.”

“Always, Matron.”

* * *

A dropped pin would have been able to dispel the silence that choked the temple just as effectively as the roar of thunder.

Pantheon took three steps and knelt down next to Leona’s face. The Solari Avatar's still form gazed through the roof's hole and at the darkening sky above them, her lips and eyes contorted by the betrayal in her final moments. Golden sparks ate away at her armor and her flesh, drifted upwards and dissipated. He gently placed his shield on the floor next to her before he reached over and closed her eyes, closed her opened mouth and allowed it to wear a faint smile, some way of knowing that it was her that lay before them.

" **Always were a stubborn one,** " he muttered aloud to himself.

Pantheon continued to observe Leona slowly drift away into nothing. He reached into his chest piece and took out a small leather bag. Coins clinked as he opened it. The Artisan sorted through them, the number of them known only to himself, and picked two of them out. They were silver coins, smooth on one side while on the other it bore the image of the sun scratched in by an unrefined hand.

“ **If you were even slightly competent, this would have been a non issue. But no, she trusted _you_ ,** ” he said with a snort as he placed the coin on Leona’s eyes.  The Artisan of War did not look at Diana as he swung his gaze over to stare at Molik, his helmet bobbing as he did.

Molik grabbed at his jaw, rolling on the ground in pain, howling from despair, tears streaming down his face as the other Rakkor hoplites kept their spears steady and pointed at the remaining Iron Solari members. Pantheon retrieved his shield and reaffirmed his grip on his spear. He took a step towards the fallen vanguard and uttered a short, threatening chuckle. “ **You never understood why. You never _could_.** ”

Pantheon stepped onto Molik’s shin, keeping him in place as he stabbed his spear into the marble floor next to Molik’s face and used the sharp edge of the tip to force the Iron Solari man to look up at him.

“ **What was your reason? Because she was the Solari avatar? To protect her? To keep her to yourself? Go ahead. Make your excuses. Let me hear them.** ” Pantheon grabbed Molik’s collar, stepped off of him and hoisted him into the air. He made sure the Iron Solari looked him in his burning eyes as he demanded,“ **Say them, worm.** ”

“Glck! P-P’nthe’n...y’c’n...h’lp...’er…” Molik garbled through his broken jaw.

Pantheon pointed at the fading Solari avatar with his shield arm as he stated in a barely held back yell, “ **You tried that before, but it will not _work_. You tried to help her, and look at what your aid has done.** "  The Artisan's voice continued to raise in volume, his stoic nature cracking at the seams as his arm shook not from fatigue, but from restraining the urge to slaughter Molik here and now,

“ **Before anyone else saw her, she was already our light. Before anyone else ever knew her smile, she was already our warmth. And far before anyone else noticed, she was already our Sun. And what did you, and I, do? We let them take her away. What right do I have to her life when she made her choice? What right do _you_ have?** "

 Pantheon threw Molik to the ground once more. He slammed his fist on his shield as bellowed at his hoplites, “ **Phalanx of Sunlight! Ready your weapons!** ”

The phalanx drew their weapons back and readied them to strike. Pantheon shot Molik one last glance and noticed the look of realization creeping up on the Solari man’s face.

“ **You recognize the name. That is what we were to going to call ourselves,** ” Pantheon grunted with a vicious chuckle that accompanied his speech. “ **They are the few who survived the Rite of Kor, your former brothers and sisters, the last of our group. While you were off staring at the sky as you whined and cried for her, I took them under my wing, under my training.** ”

Pantheon raised his spear as he bellowed, “ **On my command, slaughter the Iron Solari Vanguard! Leave not one alive!** ”

His command was met with seven fists striking their shields as they hollered back their understanding.

Molik’s eyes went wide with panic. He latched himself onto Pantheon’s right leg as he attempted to beg, “Nuh! P’nth’n, sh’ wuln’t w’n’ wan’ ‘ah!”

“ **Leona chose that woman over you, over your order, over everything. She made her choice and she has paid for it,** ” Pantheon snarled, his eyes lit with such fury that he seemed more demon than man at the moment. “ **And now I have made mine: You instrumented her death, so we will force your redemption.** ”

Diana did not say a word the entire time. She stared at the fleeting image of Leona before her, she felt the ripping of her soul. To describe such an sensation was impossible, it was as though she existed but did not exist, a paradox of being alive but all senses numbed, even her eyesight started to fade as the blessing of the Moon pulled away.

Diana barely heard the words of Pantheon. All she heard was that the Solari were to be culled for what they had done to Leona. What they had done...Why did her chest hurt?

Diana sank to her knees, staring at the still form of Leona, whose limbs had dissipated and dispersed into tiny specks of light that fizzed out of existence. And in a minute or two, Leona would spring back up, and...and...she would not return. Leona was not going to return. No matter how many times she may have died on the Fields of Justice, the summoners kept the souls of the champions anchored so resurrection was barely more than a nuisance.

Outside the Fields, this was it. She was dead.

This was what Diana wanted. This was what she strove for, this...was a nightmare. This was a waking nightmare. Diana looked at her hands, at her armor, all stained by the rusty, black blood. From the very moment she saw Leona, she was frightened by her. Never, not once, had Leona been scared by Diana until now.

What had she done wrong?

No. She had done nothing wrong. No matter what she had tried, it failed against Leona. No matter how much force, how much power she put in her assault, it had no effect on Leona. The moonlight was absorbed by Leona. Why was this? What did it mean?

Diana stared at the fading form of Leona. This was not how it was meant to be. Her shoulders quaked once, but not more. This is what she wanted. This is...There is no turning back. But why did she have that look of betrayal in her eyes? Why did Leona step in the way?

It wasn't supposed to be this way. It was supposed to be the two of them, just them, just like it was meant to be. But Leona was tricked, what would have become of her even if she lived? To be met with betrayal, to see them every single day?

Even if Leona were alive, even if it had not come to this, what would have been able to change? Leona was not their leader. They blatantly ignored her, they came down and they felled their own sun. None of this was meant to be. This was meant to be between Diana and her, the Moon and the Sun, no one else.

What could Diana do?

There was no response. Diana closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her lips moved in silent prayer as she asked once more, what could be done now? It was not meant to be this way.

And she received her answer.

There was no more sun. As the moon’s light faded the only light source that was left were the countless stars that looked down at Diana. Thousands upon thousands all shone, her lips moved to ask them the dreaded question, but no sound came out. They hovered in what she knew to be judgement of a cosmic scale, the former Moonlit Knight could feel their  _scorn_ that started to close in and choke her as the thousands of stars discussed in their silent council what was to be done.

Judgement was decided and carried out: The light in the night sky vanished, blown out like a breath on a lit candle.

Fear gripped her heart. Her skin crawled, her throat tightened, Diana could only utter choked sounds as she as looked up at the eternally dark sky. There was no dawn, no day, only the eternal twilight that was erected as a empyrean monument in its statement that all light had truly faded. Diana felt as though she were sinking deeper and deeper into an alien ocean. Pressure started to build all around her, stealing her breath as it did, and the deeper she sank the more the unnatural cold set in her bones. The only sound that filled the hungering darkness was a heartbeat, whose rhythm slowed with every flutter of its final throes. As Diana sank she could feel  _things_ pass by her, push past her, and as numb as she was, she knew, she had  _no_ question what these creatures that swam alongside her in this bottomless trench were.

And every microsecond she spent in this darkness felt like an eternity. Diana wanted it to end, she wanted to scream, to yell, to cry, to beg, to do anything, but time itself was against her.

What was she to do then? There was no way, absolutely no way, that there could be forgiveness. There was no way this would come to an end, even if Leona survived. It would just be repeated again and again. And even if Leona were to live, what then? How could Diana look her in those eyes, that face that until now, never lost faith even once until that final moment?

A single, final  pulse of lunar energy coursed through her veins. It was up to her to decide how to use it. What was she to do?

Diana gripped her weapon tighter than ever, there was no other option, and she made her choice.

The Moonlit Knight reached down and pressed her left hand against the gaping chest wound. Moonlight filled the darkest recesses of Leona’s body, and the experience was nothing Diana had ever felt before. For every bit of strength she gave Leona, Diana was returned with double. Soon enough, her chest started to hurt. Diana could feel her skin break, her muscle split, blood started to soak both her shirt and the insides of the armor.

Pantheon turned around, and had to cover his eyes with his aegis to fend off the brightness. His command was stopped temporarily as the Rakkor, the Iron Solari and the Lunari tried to decipher what was happening.

The light faded, and Diana stood up. She could barely hold her posture straight from the fatigue and pain, and allowed her blood to drip from her armor on Leona's face. The 4th droplet made the Solari Avatar stir.

"She needs immediate attention," Diana stated, just barely holding her tired and battered body with only sheer willpower. "Make your choice, Rakkor: bloodshed or life."

Pantheon did not reply straight away. With a heavy sigh, he said, "Rakkor, stand down."

They obeyed, reluctantly, but kept their spears at the ready. The Rakkor hoplites turned their attention to Diana and Pantheon and were ready to react to any sudden, unwanted motion made by Diana. The Artisan of War hoisted his spear and walked towards Leona, his eyes watching the Moonlit Knight the entire time.

"When is the Rite of Kor?" the Lunari Avatar asked without any form of warning, her icy eyes not wavering from the burning glare of the Artisan.

" **Eh? Wh-** "

"When."

" **A month and three days from now.** "

"Good," Diana affirmed her response with a nod. She started to descend the temple steps

“ **What is it you are planning to do?** ” Pantheon demanded with a grunt, already at Leona’s side as he looked for something to help stem the bleeding of the vicious gash that exposed her sternum. He could have sworn that Molik pierced her all the way through, the sternum should be collapsed and the bone fragments embedded in her lungs and heart. Before the Artisan could wonder more, balled up cloth struck his helmet, wrapping itself around his face and shoulders. When the Artisan pulled it off, he saw it was the remnants of a Lunari priestess’ robes.

“What is necessary.”

The last remnants of the Iron Solari Vanguard were bathed in Lunar energy, their existence erased in the breadth of a single moment. Pantheon readied his spear and only paused hurling it at Diana because she said, "The Iron Solari Vanguard needs to be replaced. Those who you think are ' _worthy_ ' to be inducted into the ranks of the Solari, mark them. Bring them before Leona."

Molik fell backwards, horror gripping his entire being as Diana's gaze fell upon him. She shook her head as she marched towards him. "You will tell her what happened. You will tell her what they had done, and you will tell her why you betrayed her. Why you all did. And using your status as the last of the former guard, you will create a new one. Until the new Solari Vanguard has been created, you will  _not_ die. You will  _not_ run."

Diana pointed her weapon at Molik's throat as she stated, "If you do, I will know, and I will find you. And if I ever see you again, I will not cleanse you: You will be damned to walk in darkness. The affairs of the Sun and the Moon are never to be decided by the likes of you." Diana looked about the temple and all of its residences as she stated, “ _Any_ of you.”

Leona started to move, coughing as she did. Blood flew from her mouth as she rolled over, which in turn made the coins slide off her eyes. Pantheon turned his attention to her and sighed. He applied greater pressure on her wound. “ **C’mon, it’s only a scratch. You’ve had worse** .”

Diana looked over at the remaining Lunari members and beckoned to them with a twitch of her head. "The Rakkor will escort you out of Targon's range. Wait for me at the first crossroads you come across, I will come for you."

Once the Lunari survivors assured themselves the fact that they were still alive, and after giving a wary glance to Pantheon--who gave them a begrudging shrug of his shoulders--they knelt before their Avatar and bowed their heads in supplication.

In the corner of the temple, out of eyesight of everyone, a purple butterfly vanished into thin air.

With her commands given, the Moonlit Knight marched out of the temple. She gave her blade a flick downwards and allowed the blood to fall off her armor. Diana was not wrong in her actions, but if Leona was not allowed to die, then she would have to pave the path as needed. The Lunari could not fall here, but the Solari supremacy had to come to an end. There was no recourse.

But this was no longer a sanctuary.

When Diana exited the temple, she looked towards the lake that had been tainted crimson by the slaughter. The cedar that stood on its bank, a silent sentinel that continued to watch its polluted waters, started to  groan due to the strong wind that blew through it. She could see that it was laden with pinecones, and decided that before she took her leave, to take a few with her. Diana raised her weapon up and gave the branch a quick snip, bringing it down with an armful of pinecones and what looked to be a worn and torn paper, incredibly delicate from exposure. Some of the words were still legible, if only barely,

' _...old to the touch. It's weird..even. I have never felt her be so cold. What...What should I do? I can feel... I am scared for her...sunshine? And now...I can’t stop shaking._

_Why...feel this way? ...Leona...her eyes...lips...heart races...want to feel her tou-'_

Diana had to stop reading because the rest of the entry was torn out. “I never stopped calling her Leona…”

The bridge was burned. There was no turning back. She needed to do this, for the greater good. Diana allowed the lunar energy to fill her, and she flitted out of sight in a beam of moonlight.

And yet, unbeknownst to her and without a sound, cracks appeared in her breastplate. It was barely noticeable, but one could have sworn that gold and white attempted to peek through the microfractures.

* * *

 

The Rakkor hoplites along with summoner Amalia marched through the Solari grounds. Her violet eyes looked every which way, noticing the empty streets and homes. It felt like they were walking into a graveyard.

“The celebration of Equinox,” one of them murmured. “A sacred celebration. They should be gathered at the t-”

A burst of light was followed by silence, which was almost immediately followed by shrieks of panic. The Rakkor shouldered their weaponry and went from marching speed to sprinting, despite their heavy armor.

Summoner Amalia found it hard to keep up with them, but she did recognize the energy signature: It was Diana’s. The crowd started to rush towards them, and the Rakkor had to slow their speed and lower their weapons to avoid accidentally skewering any of the civilians. When they realized just how panicked they were, summoner Amalia’s arm was grabbed and the entourage broke through the nearest locked door and held themselves out in there. What could have happened today of all days?

  
Within the ruins of the Solari temple, only one elder was left. He scrambled across the floor, out of breath, as Diana marched after him. All the others were vaporized, gone in a blink of an eye. Her weapon raised, her prey cornered, the Moonlit Knight demanded, “Are there more?”

Alexandros could not formulate a more coherent response than a terrified gurgle that escaped his throat.

“Are there more?”

“M-more?” Alexandros yelled, “What more do you want?! You took-”

“Are there more of you? More elders, more scholars, more teachers, any successors to your position?” Diana clarified, her weapon did not waver in the slightest. “How many are left?”

“N-none.”

“Where are they?”

Alexandros swallowed and forced himself to his feet. “Th-they’re, they’re just…”

“Where are they?”

“They’re just children, heretic!” Alexandros screamed, spit flying from his mouth. “I’d rather die than tell you!”

Diana could not help but feel the twinge in her chest. Just children. That was his excuse? Where was this when...No. The past was the past.

“Your honesty will be taken into consideration by the Heavenly ones.”

The Moonlit Knight swiveled her blade and flicked it to him, lunar energy raced out and Alexandros was reduced to nothing more than a burn shadow. Diana turned on her heels and walked towards the Solari temple entrance. As she emerged, and the twin lights of the sunset and moonrise illuminated her, she saw the crowd that had managed to gather again once more. They all looked up at her, she could taste their fear, their uncertainty.

“When your sun rises next morning, a new dawn will shine upon all of you,” Diana said in an even tone, her voice echoing throughout the streets as she looked out at the crowd. “And though the Moon shall shine at night, I will not be able to guide you. I will not be able to protect you, yet. One day, soon, I will. When that day comes, I will return for all of you.”

That was all she had to say. Diana tilted her head back, and the audience could swear that crusty pieces of ash fell from her armor just before she disappeared in a beam of light. The Rakkor peeked out from the house they had holed themselves in and muttered, “It seems that your investigation will be needed after all, summoner.”

No response. They looked about and saw that Summoner Amalia was gone.

* * *

The three Lunari and the Rakkor stopped at the crossroads after hours of trekking. The hoplites gave the survivors a farewell salute before they turned around and marched back towards Targon. The minutes ticked on by, and the Lunari waited.

And waited.

Finally a burst of moonlight exploded in front of them, and Diana appeared. She eyed one to the next, and asked, “Are you ready?”

The Lunari looked at one another. The Noxian youth nervously gulped, he had to admit, he was not sure. It was only because the reassuring hand of a Demacian soldier slipped into his and gave him a small squeeze that he relaxed.

“Where do we go now?” they asked in chorus.

Diana looked northeastwards and pointed down the path. “I have made accommodations. We will begin rebuilding within the Ironspike Mountains.”

“Rebuild?”

Diana nodded. “Rebuild, and rise from the ashes. The Lunari will rise once more.”

The Lunari looked at one another, then at Diana. “What will we do until it’s...well, ready?”

“I have organized it so you will be cared for at the Institute.”

“So quickly? How?”

Diana’s look was enough to silence them. Her weapon stabbed downwards, marking a large x in the dirt path, before she stepped to the left. The familiar blue hue of a summoner’s teleport spell hummed where Summoner Amalia von Weiß appeared. She smiled at the four of them and gave them a polite curtsey.

“Greetings, Lunari survivors. I am Summoner Amalia von Weiß, and I will be your steward at the Institute of War. Who may I be speaking to?”

The Noxian youth cleared his throat, clicked his heels together and stated, “I am Private Francis LaCoeur, formerly of Noxus.”

“Private Katharine Seringue, formerly of Demacia” the Demacian woman followed suit, her hand slipping away from Francis’.

The third Lunari cleared his throat and said, “Private Bares Tailor, formerly of Demacia.”

Amalia smiled at them and straightened her posture. Her right hand stretched out and she held it to them, waiting for them to take it. The Lunari looked at Diana, who gave them a curt nod of approval. The moment they rested their fingertips on top of hers the blue light started to surround them. Within moments, they disappeared. Diana stared at where they had once been for what felt like hours. She could not leave, not quite yet.

“Surely you cannot be questioning yourself, darling,” a familiar voice cooed from the shadows.

Diana looked over her left shoulder and snorted. She certainly took her time in coming. “You know what I will do to you if you try to twist the contract in any way.”

“Now why would I do such a thing, darling?”

“Because it’s you.”

Soothing laughter filled the air like wind chimes. “More snippy than usual. Did something happen today, darling?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” the Moonlit Knight stated, ending the line of questioning dead in its tracks. “Have you drafted the costs yet?”

“Of course, of course. Signed and sealed by the Grand General himself,” the Deceiver assured while she stepped into the moonlight. In her left hand she held a parchment bound with string and sealed by black wax that bore the insignia of Noxus. “All the details are here.” LeBlanc’s hand paused, the contract hovered midair. “Though, if I may be honest with you?”

“You may.”

“It seems fairly ridiculous to pay for both this site and the repair of the original temple. Why pay for more when you-”

“You will get what you want, Deceiver,” Diana grunted as she snatched the contract out of LeBlanc’s hand. “You will not question my motives, and I will not question yours. Are we clear?”

“Crystal.”

One moment she existed, the next moment LeBlanc melted away into the darkness that surrounded them, leaving Diana truly alone. She looked up at the night sky, she stared at the full moon that shone down on her, the blood underneath her armor now crusted, and for once, underneath its brilliant light, she felt uneasy. Was she making the right choice?

No. Not now, not ever again.

Diana would not sway from her path. She had to do this, this was a necessity, not just for herself, but for  _her_ .

Diana’s eyes closed and she whispered a silent prayer. Her nerves died away, and she allowed herself to transform into moonlight once more, and disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: I was asked to post, so I decided to post. Now, before I say anything else, this is still what I was planning. If any of y’all are confused by what I did, and Diana’s response, it’s because of the 3 face nature of the moon. I made subtle hints at it, but I did not outright express it per se. I won’t touch much more into it, because it will be dipped into in the Epilogue, which will be readied for next week. See you all soon, and I will be taking any and all questions and posting the most relevant questions in an afterword! 
> 
> So if you have any questions for me, now’s the time to ask.


	13. Epilogue: Point of No Return

The first few days were a blur. Summoners came in and out of Leona’s room, asking her questions, but she could barely register their words. How she was brought here was a mystery in itself, according to what she had been told Molik had brought her here, but that was a lie. Molik betrayed her. The League decided that it would be in the best of interest of everyone for her to recover as quickly as possible, and so the Starchild had been made her doctor. When there was no resistance given to the decision, Leona did not put any thought into it. She could not, not yet.

 

The scene played over and over again in her head, the listless eyes of Diana boring into hers as she raised her culling blade up and allowed it to drop. Diana had every intent to kill Leona, even in those last moments...It mattered not. There were only three things she could recall in any detail from those days: her fight with Diana, her impalement at Molik’s hands, and the familiar taste of freshly baked bread. Whenever she tried to recall the details it amounted to nearly nothing. It was as though her mind was trying to swim in a lake of mud in her attempts of recollection, and the only moments that she caught a glimpse of clarity was when gasped for breath.

 

Unbeknownst to her, Leona had been “swimming” in this state for nearly a week. When she opened her eyes, the Avatar of the Solari instantly recognized that she was laying down on a bed, her head on a pillow, and she was looking at the ceiling. That was enough lying down, Leona had matters to attend to, no matter how sore her chest felt.

 

“Leona?” Soraka looked up from her book and looked at Leona as she slid the covers off. “You should still be resting.”

 

“I’m fine,” Leona stated with a grunt. She cast her eyes downwards and stared at her chest. She had fresh bandages that had been neatly wrapped by the hands of an expert. Leona pointed at her chest and asked in a polite tone, “Can you take this off of me?”

 

Soraka closed her book and placed it at the side. She stood up and made her way to the bedside. Her slender fingers undid the delicate bows that kept bandages tied together before she started to unwrap the Solari Avatar. When exposed, Leona stood up and stared at herself in the mirror. In the center of her chest was a scar  the width and thickness of a blade. She turned around and strained her head to look at her back, and saw that there was a matching scar in the center of her back, right between her shoulderblades. So it had not been a dream. The horrified look on Molik’s face flitted through her mind.

 

A series of knocks rapped on the door. Leona, not waiting for Soraka’s permission, marched over and threw it open. She was face to face with who appeared to be a Kor man, though she did not recognize him. His face was heavily scarred, from a split nostril that had messily healed back up to the puncture wound in his cheek. He was no one Leona recognized, although his amber eyes carried a familiar steel to them.

 

“Leona, you’re not decent!” Soraka half yelled, a red blush on her cheeks as she trotted over to her patient. “You-”

 

“Nudity is not improper with Solari or Rakkor. Don’t worry, Soraka,” Leona interrupted. It was true, flagrant nudity was not as shocking or “disturbing” to see compared to other cultures, including Ionian culture it seemed. She cast a small smile at the flustered Starchild in an attempt to reassure her before she focused her attention back to the man before her. His posture was that of a trained soldier, a direct and unrelenting stance, but his eyes refused to meet hers. The smell of fresh bread wafted in around him, and for this reason she ceased her attempt to meet eyes with him. She saw that he had an apron tied about his waist, with spatterings of fresh flour marking its front. He carried a tray loaded with a loaf of bread, a cup of water, and a small bowl of herb-scented olive oil. Why was a baker here of all places?

 

“He has been delivering fresh bread to you every day for the past week,” Soraka clarified. “It was the only food that you could keep down.”

 

Leona gave the man a warm smile and whispered, “Thank you for doing so.”

 

With a snort, he held the tray out but still refused to meet her eyes. Leona waited for him to say something but no response ever came. The strange baker pressed the tray onto Leona’s hands, spun around and marched away, his gait reminiscent of a Rakkor hoplite. But the way that with every sure step he took he would bend his knees just a touch bit more plucked at a chord in her mind. Why did it seem so familiar?

 

“Leona? We need to talk.”

 

With a nod, the Solari avatar closed the door and went back to her bed. She sat down with the tray on her lap and asked, “Will you tell me the news of what has happened?”

 

“The Rakkor were insistent on telling you themselves,” Soraka said, her warm smile weakening with every word she spoke. “But from my understanding, no one but you, Molik and Diana truly know what happened that day. The League wishes to speak to you about what has happened. Molik has not been seen, and Diana…”

 

“I remember. It was at the Lunari temple,” Leona started to say, her hands balled up into fists. “I-”

 

“Leona, please, _listen_ to me. Only you, Molik and Diana know what happened that day. _No_ one else.”

 

Leona did not reply for several long minutes. When she did, it was barely more than a whisper, “Did she kill them? The Iron Solari?”

 

Soraka’s soothing voice lowered as she said, “I do not know. I cannot tell you much more because I do not know. All I know is that on the day of Equinox, the Rakkor requested that League bring aid. I was called in to try and save some of the casualties.”

 

Leona tilted her head and analyzed what the Starchild just said. There was an obvious hiccup in her explanation. “How did you find the Lunari temple?”

 

Soraka shook her head and watched what little color remained in Leona’s face fade away.  “It was the Solari temple once more. Diana came back.”

 

Leona felt a ball of lead drop in her stomach. “Who is left of the Solari?”

 

Soraka reached over and attempted to rest her hand on Leona’s shoulder, “Leona, I cannot-” but the Solari avatar pulled away at the touch.

 

“Do you or do you not know?”

 

Soraka shook her head. With a deep sigh she said, “It is not my place to say, unless I am given permission by you.”

 

“Granted,” Leona stated as she stared at the bread before her.

 

“Only the children, the students and some young adults are left. It seems to be that anyone who was eligible for the status of elder, scholar and teacher were killed. You are all they have left.”

 

There was no anger. There was no hate, no pain, no despair, it could almost be described as a numbness. Leona sat on the bed and scrutinized the thoughts that sprang to life in her mind. She tried. She tried so hard, but she failed yet again. Why would Diana do this to herself? To Leona? Why would Diana...There was no answer that she wanted to admit to. But to shy away from the truth? How gross of her would that be. This was not the time to fall prey to rampant emotion. Leona needed time to organize her thoughts.

 

“Soraka, can you let the League know that I am fine, and that I will speak to the Rakkor before I speak to them?” Leona said in a low, but strong, tone. “I need some privacy.”

 

“Of course, Leona,” Soraka said as took a step away from Leona. “But do not push yourself. I told the League to give you another week to recover.”

 

“Thank you, Soraka.”

  
Leona would not have known that the Starchild had left if it were not for how her hooves delicately clacked against the floor, and how their sound faded away. Even the door being closed made no audible click. Leona was left alone in the silence, knowing the only question that remained was a very simple, _‘What now?’_

 

Leona picked up the bread and gave it an absent-minded bite. The taste overwhelmed her senses as the bread’s aroma wafted. The smell sent her back more than a decade, to a time when she used to sleep on a bed of pine needles in the forest, and would be wakened by the smell. It was her way of waking up every morning, and only Leona knew which rockface to climb down and which cavern he would duck into that he had repurposed into a secret bakery, the warmth on her back from the sun and warmth on her face from the heat of the cavern, the young boy dripping with sweat from his efforts to make bread for their entire group. Whenever He had to steal frequently so he could fulfill their expectations, but never complained about the hardships he would undergo for them. The only time Leona ever saw him unnerved, perturbed, even scared, was when she discovered the secret. And that smile, that smile of his that he gave when she happily ate the bread that probably had more dirt than flour in it was one Leona could never forget.

 

The taste that exploded in her mouth and the scent that filled her nostrils finally gave way and Leona could only describe them with a single word: Nostalgia. She did not know that he still baked. Leona chewed into the bread, her lips quivering into a faint smile for the briefest second. What now would she do?

 

Leona swallowed the bread.

 

The same as always: What needed to be done. She was Rakkor, she was Solari, she was Leona. This was who she was, and this would never change, no matter the obstacle.

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

There was no one else to oppose the two now. There was no one else in power, no one else to usurp Leona’s rule. She had made sure of that. It was duty that compelled her, to think that she had been so blind up until now, and had caused so much more pain than necessary. For allowing things to come this far, for allowing this much unnecessary pain, yes, that was her fault. Diana had paid the price for her mistake, a cautious brush of her hand over her silvery eyes, retracing the permanently-charred flesh that surrounded them reaffirmed this thought.

 

Up until now, Diana and Leona had not been equals. But at the cost of blood, the Lunari avatar helped the Solari avatar regain her lost control. And despite this, Leona would never understand why Diana did what she did. It was impossible for her to understand the necessity behind the actions because it was her nature. That caring nature.

 

Diana tapped the bottom of her pen on the paper. Once this was issued, it would put Leona to the test. She would accept. She had to accept. She would oppose Diana, would she not? The Moonlit Knight stared at the letter that laid face up on her desk. Her silver eyes scanned the sentences she had written, requesting that a League match be had with the Solari in order to pay for the damages that had been incurred by them.

 

Leona would oppose her, would she not? She had to. It was a necessity. If Leona did not, then this was all for not, and Diana would have to do something drastic.

 

“Champion Diana?”

 

Diana looked up from her desk and to her door. The voice was that of the summoner stewardess. “Come in.”

 

The door creaked open and Amalia poked her head in. “Do you want anything to eat?”

 

“No.”

 

“I...can’t take no for an answer, Champion Diana,” the summoner replied. She gave the back of her head an awkward rub as she clarified, “You haven’t eaten in days. It’s sorta my job to make sure you stay healthy. Sorta making it hard if you refuse to eat...”

 

“I will eat later. However, now that you’re here, I need you to deliver this request to the Council of Equity and send a copy to LeBlanc,” Diana said as she pushed her chair back and handed over the paper she had been fiddling with earlier. Once Amalia had the letter, Diana pulled open her desk drawer. She took out a thick leather bound journal along with a stack of pencils. “I am going to the building site. I want to watch their progress.”

 

“Champion Diana, I can’t, to the Council. I need to have Senior Stewardess Cassalantar authorize-” Amalia sputtered, but Diana marched right past her.

 

“Then have it authorized and be done with it,” Diana shot back as she walked down the hallway. “Alert me when you receive an answer from both.”

 

Amalia’s cheeks puffed up and turned a shade of red. Such a difficult woman to deal with. “Champion Diana, you know you are not allowed to leave the Institute until the investigations are-”

 

“Is there anything else you need?” Diana asked, her voice was flat but it carried a razor-sharp edge to it. It was utter disinterest coupled with the threat of what might happen should she actually come to merit Diana’s full attention.  It unnerved her, and when the stewardess met the stare of the Lunari avatar she felt a chill run through her body.

 

With a hard swallow, Amalia continued, “The Matron requests-”

 

“Is it a League match?”

 

“Yes, it is-”

 

“Then according to our stipulations, I agree to fight for her when she needs me,” Diana affirmed with a roll of her head. This conversation was tedious. “You can summon me when need be, yes?”

 

“I can, yes, but she wants to know when you can discuss-”

 

“Not now. As soon as I have assured myself that the workers are on the right path, I will make all the time I can for her and the Grand General. As for the Institute, know that you cannot imprison the Moon. Do not make such an idle threat again,” Diana interrupted once more. She flipped her journal to the first page and read the beginning excerpt she had inked, ‘ _To Leona, if you are reading this then I have done what I needed to do,_ ’ and not a line more. The light scratches of pencil marks overlapped one another so many times it looked more like a stylized drawing than writing, and now the message itself only stood out because she’d written over it again in ink after finally settling on what she wanted to say..

 

From the corner of Diana’s eye, she could swear she saw the glimmer of silver and gold on her shoulder plate. Yet when she glanced, hoping to catch it, only saw the dull glean of her ashen-colored armor. It had to be nothing more than a trick of her eye. She flipped through the pages until she came across a sketch she had made that detailed the floor plan of the Lunari temple. Everything from the measurements to the marble tile pattern and the type of marble that was used were jotted down in the page’s margins. Her fingers flipped through more pages which some of the frescos and murals that had been inside had been recreated in quick sketches. Diana paused on the page that depicted the scene of the Solari avatar’s betrayal of the Lunari avatar which had the roughest outline of the tesserae placement drawn within their silhouettes.

 

LeBlanc wanted to ask her questions so she could try to harness the Moon’s strength for her own, though she would never admit to it. Meanwhile the Grand General wished to speak to her privately about recruitment and training and how he wanted Diana to act as the guardian of Noxus’ roads and convoys. LeBlanc had also questioned her briefly on her knowledge of Solari training techniques and those of the Rakkor due to the culture’s secretive nature, and Diana knew the reasoning behind it all.

  
Yes, it seemed foolish, but Diana had accepted these terms and more. In the greater scheme, this was but another step. It was all but a paltry fee, it was all for the greater good. It mattered little that they were willing to go through the so many hoops of “polite society” in the effort to assure and secure Diana’s alliance with Noxus. In time, the Lunari will be able to secure alliances with Noxus and other city-states, and in turn Leona would be forced to secure alliances herself to combat Diana, but that was all for the future. That could not be now, not until...

 

“How are my disciples’ recoveries faring?” Diana demanded, snapping her book closed as she did.

 

“They’re fine, they’re out on the Institute grounds doing stuff, but Champion Diana, please,” Amalia started to beg. “Can you at least tell Matron LeBlanc in person that you do not wish to s-”

 

Diana took another step, but this time her foot did not touch the ground.. Instead she lifted herself into the air and her body faded to a pale silver silhouette. There was no turning back. There was nothing to question. No recourse, no room for anything else. Diana’s next step would be would be dependent on Leona. Such was the nature of the moon, but despite all that happened, it felt right. Diana walked this path because it was necessary. It was useless to resist.

 

Within mere moments, she disappeared.

 

\----------------------------------------------

 

He had not moved since his last meal. Darkness filled the tiny cell, not that Molik minded. He did not care that the rattle of the lock broke the monotony, he did not care that light crept in through the creak of the door, or of the pair of heavy footsteps that followed suit. He already knew what they wanted.

 

“On your feet.”

 

Molik sat in place, head hung low;  there was no reason to do anything. What would a response amount to? Nothing. Even though it was just the jailor, would it matter if it was someone he knew? It did not matter to him.

 

“On your feet,” the voice commanded again. “Unless you wish to be forced onto them.”

 

His shoulders jerked about, a feeble attempt at a shrug. Molik’s nose started to tingle. That as odd, he could smell bread.

 

“ **Leave us.** ”

 

Now that voice, Molik recognized.

 

More feet tromped and marched away, and the door closed behind them with a loud click. Pantheon knelt down in front of Molik’s face and stared at the bandaged jaw. He gave a stray bit of bandage a light tug which shook some of the dried herbs and poultices loose, allowing them to fall to the floor with a quiet whisper..

 

“ **Nothing to say, coward?** ”

 

“What else is there to say, Pantheon?” he mumbled. Molik raised his head ever so slowly and met the burning amber eyes of the Artisan. “Why won’t you let me die?”

 

“ **Because she would not want that,** ” Pantheon growled. He grabbed Molik by his arm and yanked him to his feet. “ **Get on your feet, gods damn it, and try to act like a man for once in your pathetic life.** ”

 

“I deserve to die.”

 

“ **It looks like we finally can agree on something, but it changes nothing,** ” the Artisan snarled. He gave Molik a slap across the face when the former hoplite still refused to move. “ **You have a duty to do, you need to speak to the Rakkor and you need to help her rebuild.** ” Pantheon ripped off the rest of the bandages, revealing a shallow scar on the left side of Molik’s neck. “ **Not be a gods damned coward by trying to slit your own throat the first chance you get. When it is your time to die, I will personally grant you your respite.** ”

 

“I hurt Leona, Pantheon!” Molik screamed, the dryness of his throat made him cough and hack shortly afterward. “I _killed_ her!”

 

“ **I am aware of that, Molik. You hurt Leona, so now what will you do?** ” Pantheon heaved Molik towards the cell door and watched the former hoplite fly through the air. “ **Is that the extent of your love? Is that all you can muster? You hurt her but you will do nothing to atone for it?** ”

 

Molik seized up. He started to babble, the tears threatened to spring from his eyes. “I...I…”

 

“ **If that is the extent of your love, then say it. Say it and I will end your existence here and now.** ”

 

Molik sobbed in response. He cried for more than ten minutes while Pantheon waited. “ **You done?** ” he growled as Molik finally started to recover himself.

 

“I can’t say it! I can’t!”

 

“ **Then get up, and walk. Get up and go back to her. Let her hate you, let her spit on your existence, but you will do what you need to. Not for your sake, not for anyone’s but her’s.** ”

 

Molik spun around and yelled at Pantheon, “Why not you? Why can you not do anything? Why do you just stand and do nothing but advise me to act? Why!?”

 

Pantheon did not reply immediately. He reached up at his helmet and lifted it off his head, revealing a face scarred from long years of constant combat. “Because she did not choose me,” the Artisan of War answered plainly. “She chose you, your life, what you represent, over me. I cannot do more for her. I cannot be more to her, I can only do my duty as Rakkor. And I will fight because I am of the Rakkor, unlike you, unlike her.” He took a deep breath in before he concluded, “And that is my duty to her. I will hold the line against a thousand legions of Noxus, of Demacia and against anyone who dares step onto the mountain and I will defend my people. I cannot watch her, because she does not want me to. Nothing will change that.”

 

Pantheon slid his helmet back on pointed at the door. “ **Now, make your choice: Are you a man or not? Will you let your fear of her anger, her disgust of you cloud your duty?** ”

 

Molik swallowed past the dust in his mouth. He pushed himself to his knees and started to wobble towards the door. Pantheon allowed him to open the cell door and stumble out. He followed suit soon afterwards, but was stopped by a firm hand gripping his bicep. Pantheon glanced at the Rakkor guard who asked, “Speaking of duty, I heard that you are returning today?”

 

“ **Yes.** ”

 

“Pantheon, brother, does your sabbatical not end in another week? You can relax more. You cannot strain yourself."

 

The Artisan nodded, “ **It does. My apologies I did not give you more warning, but I will be rejoining you and the others today. My personal affairs have been seen to.** **I have _'relaxed'_ enough.** "

 

With that said, Pantheon pulled away and started to march after Molik. He could hear the Iron Solari stumble clumsily about from the ring of metal being bumped into. Pantheon had procrastinated long enough, he had a job to do.

 

But the Artisan could not help but roll the joke about in his head. The one he used to make so many years ago, with Leona, with Molik and with the others: He wanted to be a baker. The laughter it elicited in all but her, and how Leona actually smiled and did not understand the humor behind it back then. Not until the Rite of Kor did she realize that it was nothing more than the idle talk of youth.  And yet, when he saw her again today, after all this time, Leona had given him that same smile.

 

\--------------------------------------

 

Three days had passed since Diana sent the request. She had just been called to speak face to face with her opponent, and a knowing smirk started to creep onto her face. Leona wanted to see her.  So far, so good.

 

The two locked eyes as they simultaneously entered the meeting room. The fire in Leona’s warm eyes, the look of anger, of betrayal, pain, but she was here with such a stalwart presence. This was a woman Diana still recognized, excellent. Not one shadow tainted the Solari Avatar, even her posture was perfect. This was the face and presence of a proper leader.

The summoners were not even a footnote, they were barely background noise as they drawled about the formalities. For Diana all that existed now was herself, Leona, and the table between them.  Each leader took their seat in silence, ready to begin.

 

“Greetings, Avatar of the Solari,” the Moonlit Knight said in a deadpan tone as she maintained eye contact with Leona. She could see the pain her words caused for an instant, but Leona overcame it just as quickly. Good. “You received my request?”

 

“I did, Diana.”

 

“And your response?”

 

“How dare you,” Leona spat, her voice rough with anger.

 

“I was wronged first. My people were wronged first. There should be some form of recompense, and the new Lunari temple needs appropriate funding,” Diana replied, her eyes still on Leona’s face.

 

“Champion Diana, your slaughter was unwarranted-”

 

“This is not between you and I, summoner,” she interrupted, her line of vision not wavering as she maintained her focus. “Avatar, what do you have to say?”

 

“How can you do this, Diana? How dare you, after everything?”

 

Diana shook her head. No. “That is not an answer. What is your answer to my challenge?”

 

Leona’s voice resembled the low dramatic rumble of molten lava oozing, “You placed no stipulations. You said that we owe you compensation for what was done, but offer nothing in return.”

 

“I have done nothing wrong.”

 

“You could have stopped at any time, you could have listened to me, you could have-”

 

“You will not fool me again, Avatar. Never again will you fool me,” Diana interrupted, her voice rising briefly above the deadpan tone she had been speaking in. She folded her hands in front of her, on top of the table, and asked once more, “What is your answer, Avatar?”

 

“There really is nothing that will change your path, is there, Diana?” Leona demanded, neither her voice nor her stature wavering in the slightest. “You don’t have to do this.”

 

Even now, Leona begged. Even now, Leona asked, she believed that there was another way, that there was an alternate solution. But if Leona were to ever falter or stray from the path for any reason... What if she was incapable of leadership? What if she could be dragged down by the unfaithful again? Even in the face of everything, even now, Leona was too stubborn to change her heart. Diana’s fingers idly ran across the hilt of her wickedly curved blade, the hum of moonlight wisping from her fingertips. She had to administer the final test.

 

“There is no other way. There is no second chance, no recourse. This is it, Avatar,” Diana affirmed, her breathing slow and even as she watched Leona’s cheeks redden with anger. “What now will you do?”

 

“I will not let you do this, Diana. I cannot stand by and let you do this. You don’t have to make everyone pay in blood,” Leona replied with a slow shake of her head.

 

“And what will killing me on the fields be? Payment with life?”  


“No,” Leona stated in a half growl. The pain was evident, the warmth masked by anger, her sternness emboldened by conviction, “No, Diana, I’m sorry to say, but it will be what is necessary. I will not falter, nor will I submit to your ways.”

 

Diana pushed her chair back and gave Leona a nod, “Assemble your team mates. Let me know when you wish to schedule the League match and I shall accept your challenge any time, on any Field. The moon will judge-”

 

“No. Not just the moon. The sun and the moon shall judge our battle,” Leona interrupted, her eyes never leaving Diana’s.

  
Yes, after all this time, after all this pain, all this heartache, it was finally time. Just the two of them, they would forge the destinies of the sun and the moon, of the Solari and the Lunari. There was no one else who could change it, no one else to interrupt, they held the reins of their fate now.

 

At the end of all the fighting, all the pain, all the heartache, Leona would not change. Leona would continue to be strong, Leona would continue to lead her people, because even now, in these moments, there was no hatred in her hazel eyes. Leona was not an empty shell, but because of this, she could not make the decisions that were necessary. Diana would do it for her and would take the burden with grace, she would not falter because she was nothing more than a void, only able to be sated by the grace of the moon, and therefore the sun’s light.

 

This was it. This was what was necessary. Even now Leona understood, and that was all Diana needed. Her feelings be damned, stray thoughts cast out of her mind, she could not falter for even a second on this path, because finally, it was just the two of them:

 

Leona, leader of the Solari, and Diana, leader of the Lunari.

 

No in betweens, no intermediaries, just one against the another, and by the guidance of the celestial bodies, they would forge the new religion, a new people.

 

Diana knew that no matter what her actions were, no matter her choice might be, there would never be any hatred from Leona. She would have to try to change that eventually, because the Moonlit Knight knew her fate. Diana had already committed the second greatest sin she could ever perform. She had already sealed her fate in her betrayal of Leona’s expectations.  There would be no turning back. For this transgression there was only one price Diana could pay, but not now, not yet. Not until the Lunari were reformed, and not until Leona, the Solari, and all of the Rakkor praised them for their strength but accept them into their ranks once more. The day that the broken culture of the Rakkor, the Solari and the Lunari were repaired and affixed under one unified banner, Diana’s mission would finally be accomplished.

 

But until then, the cycle would have to continue. The Solari and the Lunari had been cast in darkness for long enough. Now this new dawn, and new moon, will finally be able to usher in a new age of light.

 

No matter the cost.

 

_Fin_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes: KuzAnn helped me with this one in a big way. If it weren’t for her I’d be mucking about still. Go give her thanks!

**Author's Note:**

> All preliminary editing is done mostly by KuzAnn and in later chapters by Coffeeman9 (a friend from the forums).There are no indents in this work because of how weird the formatting on the other fanfiction site is, my apologies in advance.


End file.
